Airtel outpaces Jio for third straight month; Vodafone Idea stabilises in March

In a striking turn of events, Bharti Airtel has surpassed Reliance Jio in wireless subscriber growth for the third consecutive month, according to the latest statistics from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). During March, Airtel welcomed 4.32 million new wireless subscribers, significantly outpacing Jio, which added 3.67 million. This upward trend marks a considerable shift from the previous year, with Airtel maintaining a higher growth trajectory in the wireless market during the initial quarter of this year. Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea (Vi) is showing signs of stability, reporting a slight decline of 0.45 million subscribers, a notable improvement from its previous heavy losses. The operator’s broadband user base stands at 128.91 million, still trailing behind Jio’s 523.44 million and Airtel’s 368.84 million. Airtel is also leading in subscriber quality, boasting a peak active subscriber ratio (VLR) of 99.24%. Notably, a significant portion of the recent subscriber growth is occurring in rural areas, where wireless subscriptions increased by 4.04 million in March, translating to a growth rate of 0.74%. This figure eclipses the 0.68% growth seen in urban regions, pushing rural tele-density to 60.46%, up from 59.83% earlier this year. Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is gaining momentum in these markets, showing faster growth relative to traditional wireline services. The 5G FWA subscriber base reached 12.32 million in March, indicating nearly equal adoption rates in both rural and urban areas. Prashant Singhal, leader of India Clients & Industries, highlighted the robust growth of the Indian telecom sector, emphasizing the role of 5G and machine-to-machine (M2M) applications. The M2M market is expanding rapidly, driven by smart metering and connected vehicle technologies. By 2025, it is anticipated that around 30% of new vehicles will feature embedded SIMs, alongside the installation of over 50 million smart meters. As of February, M2M connections surged to 118.47 million, with Airtel holding a commanding 62.03% market share, underscoring the overall growth of the telecom industry.