According to an estimate by DoT, during April-October of the current year, 1.2 crore (12 million) telephones have been added.

Of these, more than 17 lakh phones were provided in the month of October. With this addition, the total number of phones have reached a level of 8.86 crore, taking the teledensity from 7 per cent in March 2004 to 8.20 per cent at the end of October 2004.

Mobile connections have exceeded the number of fixed telephone lines. About 90 per cent of the additional phones are mobile connections, in the current year.

The number of mobile phones (including WLL-M) as on October 31, 2004 stood at 4.44 crore (44.4 million) while it was 4.41 (44.1 million) core in the case of fixed telephones.

Continuing with the growth in telecom, 17.9 lakh subscribers were added as compared to 17.5 lakh subscribers in October, according to telecom regulator TRAI.

During the first 8 months of 2004-2005, more than 1.4 crore (14 million) subscribers have been added.

For mobile segment, 15.4 lakh subscribers have been added during November 2004 as compared to 14.9 lakh in October 2004. The mobile additions consist of 11.7 lakh GSM subscribers and 3.7 lakh CDMA subscribers as against 12 lakh GSM and 2.9 lakh CDMA last month.

During the first eight months of current financial year, about 1.25 crore (12.5 million) mobile subscribers were added, taking the total to 4.6 crore (46 million) mobile subscribers at the end of November 2004.

In the fixed segment, a total of 2.5 lakh subscribers were added during November 2004, which were predominantly WLL (F). With this, the total subscriber base of fixed lines has reached 4.43 lakh.

The DoT said private sector has played a major role by accounting for more than 76 per cent of the expansion during these seven months.

The private sector has so far provided 3.93 crore (39.3 million) phones as on October 31, 2004, which is 44 per cent of the total phones in the country.