BSNL Adds Highest Number of New GSM Subscribers In December

India’s National Telecom back bone and pan India 3G mobile service operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has added a total of 3.19 million GSM subscribers which is the highest number of new mobile subscribers additions in the month of December 2010. BSNL's GSM subscriber base now reached 81.38 million, as per the COAI data.

Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has released the GSM subscriber base for December 2010 and, quite expectantly, new additions continue at an average growth rate. The number of new GSM subscribers being added in December month 17.07 million at a monthly growth rate of 3.25% taking the all-India GSM cellular subscriber base to 542.96 million.

Among the GSM Mobile Service Operators, Vodafone Essar notched up 3.09 million new subscribers during the month, taking its total base to 124.25 million. While market leader and largest GSM operator Bharti Airtel added up 3.10 million new users in December-2010, taking its total subscriber base to 152.49 million.

Idea Cellular added 2.95 million new customers, boosting its subscriber base to 81.77 million, while Aircel increased its base by over 1.42 million customers to take its subscriber base to 50.16. Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) added 24,731 new users during the month, boosting its total base to 5.11 million at the end of December, 2010.

Uninor, one of the youngest GSM operators in India has added 2.3mn GSM subscriber while Videocon added 5,75,800 new subscribers and STel managed just 2,47,068 new subscribers from 5 circles. Etisalat DB/Cheers Mobile 1,32,847 added subscribers in 13 circles.

Please note : COAI GSM Subscriber base does not include the Reliance GSM base and Tata Docomo subscriber Base (same not submitted to COAI).