In a surprising turn of events, Vodafone Idea (Vi), one of India’s struggling telecom operators, managed to buck the trend by adding active wireless users in September 2023. Despite facing challenges and a decline in its active subscriber base below 200 million, Vi’s positive performance in September has sparked optimism for the cash-strapped telco.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) reported the active subscriber additions/subtractions for major telecom operators in September 2023. While Reliance Jio led the pack by adding 3.13 million active wireless users MoM, Bharti Airtel followed with a modest addition of 0.61 million. Vi, in a notable development, added 0.4 million active wireless users, showcasing a turnaround from previous months.
Industry Snapshot – Active Subscriber Base (Sep 2023):
- Jio: 420.27 million
- Airtel: 376.15 million
- Vodafone Idea: 199.79 million
- BSNL: 49.99 million (Note: BSNL’s active subscriber base has dipped below 49.99 million)
BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited), the state-run telecom company, faced a decline, losing 0.63 million active wireless users. The success of Vi’s active user addition is notable, considering the telco’s financial challenges and the absence of a 5G offering.
Overall Subscriber Base (Sep 2023):
- Jio: 449.21 million
- Airtel: 377.78 million
- Vodafone Idea: 227.53 million
- BSNL: 93.67 million
The data also revealed that over 12.65 million Mobile Number Portability (MNP) requests were made by users across India during the month.
Vi’s ability to increase active wireless users in September marks a positive development for the telecom operator, hinting at potential recovery and stability in a fiercely competitive market.
