GSM sub additions were at ~7.5m in March ’08 (including Reliance GSM). India could therefore record its highest ever net monthly additions at ~9.5m (assuming CDMA maintains its monthly run rate of ~2m net adds) as tariff cuts and increased coverage flow through in numbers.
Idea’s net adds crossed the 1m mark for the first time ever with even Vodafone Essar with net adds at 1.6m overcoming the headwinds that it had been experiencing in the past 3-4 months. However, the spurt in numbers could also be due to March year end effect which typically is followed by slower additions in April-May.
BSNL with 1.6m net adds (highest during the year) continues to be sporadic. Most of the increase came from 3 circles – Maharashtra, Gujarat and MP, which is a result of capacity upgrades in those circles.
