Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), India’s telecom watchdog has predicted that the country is likely to become the second largest mobile phone market in the world, leaving behind America on the third position by April this year.
At present, China ranks first with a total of 540.50 million wireless customers, followed by 260.50 million subscriber base in the US and 250.93 million in India. These ratings were taken in February this year. It is also noticed that the US is the least in adding up subscribers monthly with about 2-3 million, whereas China gains around 6-7 million subscribers per month. Coming to India, the highest monthly wireless subscription has been marked that ranges from 8-9 million.
With this growing wireless network, TRAI is confident that the nation’s wireless subscriber base will overtake US’ during the first half of April this year. On the other hand, it is believed that the subscriber base of both wireless and fixed lines will reach over 300 million.
“India’s monthly wireless subscriber addition is the highest in the range of 8-9 million. Thus, India’s wireless subscriber base during the first half of April 2008 will surpass that of the US and become the second-largest wireless network in the world. Not only this, the total subscriber base (wireless plus fixedline) of India will also cross the 300-million mark in April 2008,” stated TRAI.
In February, India’s wireless subscriber base occupied 8.53 million, from 8.77 million subscribers’ addition in the previous month. If the total wireless subscribers are considered, including GSM, CDMA and WLL(F), the base achieved a target of 250.93 million at the end of February 2008.
