GSM subscriber base at 394.2 mn

The GSM operators together added 3.7 million new subscribers in January.

The GSM operators together added 3.7 million new subscribers in January,taking the overall GSM subscriber base to 394.2 million with Bharti Airtel leading the front with 2.85 million.

Last month’s GSM addition is marginally up from the December numbers when the operators had added 13.1 million.

Airtel is closely followed by Vodafone which added 2.7 new users,say the data released by GSM operators body COAI.

Total user base of Bharti Airtel soared to 121.7 million while that of Vodafone jumped to 94.14 million at the end of January.

Idea Cellular along with Spice Communications have added 2.27 million users taking it to a total 59.88 million,thus retaining its position as the third largest GSP operator.

However,BSNL is closing the gap with Idea. The state-run teleco has added 2.2 million new users last month taking its total subscriber base to 59.45 million.

Aircel has added 2 million new users,taking it user base to 33 million and MTNL added a mere 45,067 users taking its users base to 4.6 million.

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The data do not contain the subscriber addition of TataDocomo,the GSM services of Tata Teleservices and Reliance Telecom.

New players like Uninor which launched services in seven circles across the country in December,has added 1.3 million new users last month.