The GSM technology-based cellular subscriber base swelled by over three million last month, touching 75.3 million with Bharti capturing 29 per cent of the market share as demand increases in the world's fastest growing wireless market.
The subscriber base grew from 72.2 million as on April to 75.3 million in May -- recording an addition of 3.2 million million during the month, latest figures released by Cellular Operator Association of India said.
In May, Bharti which has two foreign shareholders -- Singtel and Vodafone -- added 1.18 million new users taking its total subscriber base to 21.86 million.
State-run BSNL came second in the susbcriber figures with its 18 million users by adding 0.41 million new customers with a marketshare of 23.9 per cent and was followed by Hutch.
Hutch added 0.71 million new subscribers and its total user base touched 16.77 million. Hutch's marketshare was at 22.3 per cent.
Idea Cellular added 0.42 million new subscribers and took its user base to 8.06 million and its marketshare stood at 10.7 per cent. Aircel added 0.41 new subscribers in the month.
Indian mobile call rates are the cheapest in the world -- below Re 1 minute for a local call.
Reliance, which has a minor presence in GSM space, added 0.15 million new users and its subscriber base touched 2.16 million. Spice Telecom has 2.03 million users with 0.05 million additions in May.
Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited added 0.08 million subscribers and its total subscriber base stood at 2.10 million. MTNL operates in Delhi and Mumbai.
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