As per the 'Highlights on Telecom Subscription Data as on 31st December 2012' released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Mobile Number Portability requests increased from 77.13 million subscribers at the end of November 2012 to 80.06 million at the end of December 2012. In the month of December 2012 alone, 2.94 million requests have been made for MNP. Active wireless subscribers on the date of Peak VLR in December 2012 are 701.60 Million, 81.14% of the total subscribers. Broadband subscription reached 14.98 million in December 2012 from 14.88 million in November 2012.
The number of telephone subscribers in India decreased to 895.51 million at the end of December, 2012 from 921.47 million at the end of November 2012, thereby registering a monthly growth rate of -2.82%. The share of urban subscribers has declined to 62.20% from 62.70% whereas share of rural subscribers has increased to 37.80% in the month of December 2012. With this, the overall Teledensity in India decreased to 73.34 at the end of December, 2012 from 75.55 of the previous month.
Subscription in the urban areas decreased from 577.78 million in November, 2012 to 556.96 million at the end of December, 2012. Subscription in rural areas decreased from 343.69 million to 338.54 million during the same period. The monthly growth rate of urban and rural subscription is -3.60% and -1.50% respectively. The overall urban Teledensity has decreased from 155.76 to 149.90 and Rural Teledensity decreased from 40.49 to 39.85.
Total wireless subscriber base decreased from 890.60 million in November 2012 to 864.72 million at the end of December 2012, registering a monthly growth of –2.91%. This decline is majorly due to large scale disconnections of inactive SIMs by some of the service providers. The share of urban wireless subscribers has decreased from 62.19% to 61.65% where as share of rural wireless subscribers has increased from 37.81% to 38.35%. The overall wireless Teledensity in India has reached 70.82.
Wireless subscription in urban areas decreased from 553.91 million in November 2012 to 533.12 million at the end of December 2012. The wireless subscription in rural areas decreased from 336.70 million to 331.60 million during the same period. The urban wireless Teledensity has decreased from 149.32 to 143.48 and rural Teledensity has decreased from 39.67 to 39.04.
Wireline subscriber base declined from 30.87 million at the end of November 2012 to 30.79 Million at the end of December 2012. Net reduction in wireline subscriber base was 0.08 million. The share of urban subscribers has increased from 77.34% to 77.43% where as share of rural subscribers has declined from 22.66% to 22.57%. The overall wireline Teledensity has marginally decreased from 2.53 in November 2012 to 2.52 in December 2012, with urban and rural Teledensity being 6.42 and 0.82 respectively. BSNL and MTNL, the two PSU operators hold 79.57% of the Wireline market share.
