One of the most important metrics for the telcos to measure performance is the addition or subtraction of VLR or active subscribers. The expansion of the total subscriber base is good, but the expansion of the active user base is what matters at the end of the day. While Reliance Jio comes ahead of the competition when we measure the number of active subscribers in total, Airtel is much ahead when we measure the percentage of users active compared to the overall subscriber base.
On the peak VLR date in January 2023, around 1024.81 million wireless subscribers out of the total of 1,143.02 million were active, representing a proportion of roughly 89.66% of the total wireless subscriber base. During the peak VLR period in January 2023, Bharti Airtel had the highest proportion of active wireless subscribers (99.30%) compared to its total wireless subscribers (HLR), while MTNL had the lowest proportion of VLR (21.77%) of its HLR during the same period. The data has been shared by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in its latest monthly performance indicator report for the Indian telecom players.
Also Read - Vodafone Idea Continues Its Streak; Lost 1.3 Million Wireless Subscribers in Jan: TRAI
If you take a look at the chart above, you can see that Airtel is much ahead of Jio and other competitors when it comes to the total percentage of subscribers active compared to the total user base.
On an MoM basis, Reliance Jio added 3.49 million active users, Airtel added 1.32 million active users, Vodafone Idea lost 0.46 million active users, and BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) lost 0.42 million active users. The total active user base of Jio stood at 394.46 million in Jan 2023, while at the same time, Airtel, Vi, and BSNL's active user base was at 366.30 million, 209.12 million, and 54.32 million users.
