BSNL CellOne has added 1.62 mn customers in July-09 up 81% MoM from 897,000 in June-09. BSNL used to be the Wireless and Wireline market leader 2 years ago but the company lost to competitors due to Political interference. However,with increasing criticism from Indian public and the need to take the company Public, BSNL is now working to be back on track.
GSM operators reported 9.9m (estimate) net-adds in July vs. 9.3m in June taking the total number of GSM Wireless subscribers to 326 mn.
Vodafone’s net-adds continue to taper off (2.2m in July), after hitting a peak of 2.86m in March, driven by start of operations in 7 new circles. We forecast 2m subs/month for Vodafone in FY10.
Bharti – steady as a rock. At the current rate of net-adds (2.8m in July), Bharti would exceed Mar-10 forecast (122m) by 1.3%.
Aircel net-adds jump 17% mom, and reach highest ever at 1.3m. It’s average monthly net-adds in FY09 were 0.6m. The recent surge in its net-adds is partly driven by launch in 8 new circles in 1HCY09
Idea reported 1.4m netadds in July vs. 1.6m in June. Its net-adds in five established circles (Mah, Guj, AP, MP and Kerala) slipped by 0.55m mom
Would like to hear some comments regarding the recent development in Telecommunication sector where the Indian Telecommunications Secretary Siddharth Behura has asked the chiefs of the country's top mobile operators to adopt a policy of self-regulation in sourcing telecoms equipment. There is a tiff growing as the Indian govt is seeking a ban on Chinese manufactured equipment in 20 states while mobile firms are against it. Even if govt manages to put a control on Chinese companies, many companies (e.g. UTstarcom) have the escape route as they are listed in US and Europe while all their manufacturing and RnD is done in China. Should not the Indian govt should put a leash on such companies too? Please comment.
Thanks.