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Telecom Subscriber Base in India Grew Marginally to 1,173.89 Million at June End: TRAI

Telecom subscriber base in the country grew marginally to 1,173.89 million at the end of June on account of new customer additions led by Reliance Jio, sector regulator TRAI said on Thursday. 

The subscriber base growth was driven by mobile telephony where Reliance Jio added over 2.27 million new customers and Bharti Airtel added 1.4 million customers.

“The number of telephone subscribers in India increased from 1,172.57 million at the end of May-23 to 1,173.89 million at the end of June-23, thereby showing a monthly growth rate of 0.11 percent,” the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said in its monthly subscriber report.

However, the overall growth was mitigated by the loss of subscribers by state-owned BSNL, MTNL and Vodafone Idea (VIL).

BSNL lost 1.87 million mobile subscribers, VIL lost 1.28 million subscribers and MTNL (1,52,912 subscribers).

The net addition in wireless subscribers of telecom operators in the month of June was 3,73,602.

“Total wireless subscribers increased from 1,143.21 million at the end of May-23, to 1,143.58 million at the end of June-23, thereby registering a monthly growth rate of 0.03 per cent,” Trai said.

After a marginal decline in May, wireline connections increased in June.

The growth in the wireline segment was led by APFPL which added 6,56,424 new connections. It was followed by Reliance Jio with the addition of 2,08,014 connections, Bharti Airtel (1,34,021), V-Con Mobile and Infra (13,100), Tata Teleservices (12,617) and Quadrant added 6,540 connections in June.

The total broadband subscribers increased to 861.47 million at the end of June 2023 from 856.81 million at the end of May with a monthly growth rate of 0.54 per cent, the report said.

“Top five service providers constituted 98.37 per cent market share of the total broadband subscribers at the end of June-23. These service providers were Reliance Jio Infocomm 447.75 million, Bharti Airtel 248.06 million, Vodafone Idea 124.90 million, BSNL 24.59 million and Atria Convergence 2.16 million,” the report said. 

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Telecom Subscriber Base in India Grew Marginally to 1,173.89 Million at June End: TRAI

Telecom subscriber base in the country grew marginally to 1,173.89 million at the end of June on account of new customer additions led by Reliance Jio, sector regulator TRAI said on Thursday. 

The subscriber base growth was driven by mobile telephony where Reliance Jio added over 2.27 million new customers and Bharti Airtel added 1.4 million customers.

“The number of telephone subscribers in India increased from 1,172.57 million at the end of May-23 to 1,173.89 million at the end of June-23, thereby showing a monthly growth rate of 0.11 percent,” the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said in its monthly subscriber report.

However, the overall growth was mitigated by the loss of subscribers by state-owned BSNL, MTNL and Vodafone Idea (VIL).

BSNL lost 1.87 million mobile subscribers, VIL lost 1.28 million subscribers and MTNL (1,52,912 subscribers).

The net addition in wireless subscribers of telecom operators in the month of June was 3,73,602.

“Total wireless subscribers increased from 1,143.21 million at the end of May-23, to 1,143.58 million at the end of June-23, thereby registering a monthly growth rate of 0.03 per cent,” Trai said.

After a marginal decline in May, wireline connections increased in June.

The growth in the wireline segment was led by APFPL which added 6,56,424 new connections. It was followed by Reliance Jio with the addition of 2,08,014 connections, Bharti Airtel (1,34,021), V-Con Mobile and Infra (13,100), Tata Teleservices (12,617) and Quadrant added 6,540 connections in June.

The total broadband subscribers increased to 861.47 million at the end of June 2023 from 856.81 million at the end of May with a monthly growth rate of 0.54 per cent, the report said.

“Top five service providers constituted 98.37 per cent market share of the total broadband subscribers at the end of June-23. These service providers were Reliance Jio Infocomm 447.75 million, Bharti Airtel 248.06 million, Vodafone Idea 124.90 million, BSNL 24.59 million and Atria Convergence 2.16 million,” the report said. 

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Reliance Jio Leads Wireline Segment in December 2022 With Nearly 3 Lakh New Customers

Telecom subscriber base rose marginally to 1,170.38 million in December 2022 on account of an increase in fixed line connections, according to official data.

The total subscriber base in the country was at 1,170.17 million in November last year.

“The number of telephone subscribers in India increased from 1,170.18 million at the end of November to 1,170.38 million at the end of December, thereby showing a monthly growth rate of 0.02 percent,” telecom regulator TRAI said in its monthly subscriber report for December 2022 released on Thursday.

Wireline subscribers increased to 27.45 million in December from 27.13 million in November, with a net increase of 0.32 million in the wireline subscriber base.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) report showed that the growth in the wireline segment was driven by Reliance Jio with an addition of 2,92,411 new customers. Bharti Airtel added 1,46,643 new landline customers, BSNL (13,189) and Quadrant (6,355).

State-owned MTNL lost 1,10,168 fixed line customers in December while Vodafone Idea lost 15,920 fixed line customers, Reliance Communications (6,292) and Tata Teleservices (5,849).

The mobile subscriber base in the country declined marginally to 1,142.93 million in December from 1,143.04 million in November.

The growth in the wireless segment was adversely impacted with Vodafone Idea (VIL) losing 2.47 million subscribers.

While Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel added 1.7 million and 1.52 million new customers, respectively, the loss of subscribers of Vi, BSNL (8,76,429), MTNL (3,450) and Reliance Communications (214) hindered the growth in the wireless segment.

The broadband subscriber base grew marginally to 832.2 million in December from 825.38 million in November, with mobile devices accounting for 798.69 million customers in the segment.

“Top five service providers constituted 98.41 percent market share of the total broadband subscribers at the end of December-22. These service providers were Reliance Jio Infocomm (432.16 million), Bharti Airtel (234.46 million), Vodafone Idea (123.87 million), BSNL (26.35 million) and Atria Convergence (2.14 million),” the report said.

 

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BSNL, MTNL to Raise Rs. 19,356 Crore Through Government Bonds, Merchant Bankers Say

Indian corporate bond market participants are braced for a heavy supply of government-guaranteed bonds over the next few weeks, as state-run telecom giants MTNL and BSNL aim to raise $2.34 billion (roughly Rs. 19,300 crore), three merchant bankers said.

Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd intend to raise an aggregate of Rs. 19,356 crore through government-guaranteed bonds, the bankers said.

MTNL plans to raise Rs. 10,910 crore in November. It is set to seek bids next week and will meet bankers and investors on Tuesday, according to the bankers.

The telecom company is looking to issue bonds maturing in 10 years and will pay a semi-annual coupon, similar to how central government bonds are priced.

MTNL and BSNL both received the sovereign guarantee to raise Rs. 10,910 crore and Rs. 8,446 crore, respectively, in the current financial year, the government said in September.

Despite the guarantee, the spread over sovereign bonds may widen this time.

“The companies may have to pay a higher yield this time as the market is not that favourable,” said one of the bankers, adding that the companies are being advised to spread out the borrowing.

MTNL had said in August that it plans to issue sovereign guarantee bonds worth Rs. 17,580 crore and would use the proceeds to service older bonds and bank loans.

The last time MTNL tapped the bond market was in October-December 2020, when it raised an aggregate of around 65 billion rupees through two 10-year government-guaranteed bond issuances at a semi-annual coupon of 6.85 percent and 7.05 percent.

Meanwhile, BSNL may also launch a 10-year bond issuance at the end of November or in early December, bankers said.

The company had raised Rs. 8,500 through 10-year bonds at a semi-annual coupon of 6.79 percent in September 2020.

© Thomson Reuters 2022

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Bharti Airtel Defers Payment of AGR Dues Up to FY19 After DoT’s Moratorium Offer

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel on Thursday said it has opted to defer the payment of AGR dues up to FY 2018-19, that are not tabulated in the Supreme Court’s order, by up to four years.

It has retained the right to pre-pay instalment amounts and would not avail the option of conversion of the interest dues that would accrue into equity.

Sources at the company said the amount of dues add up to about Rs. 3,000 crore for the additional years.

“We wish to inform you that the company has informed to DoT (Department of Telecom) that the company shall avail the option to defer the payment of the AGR (Adjusted Gross Revenue) dues up to FY 2018-19 which are not tabulated in the Hon’ble Supreme Court order, up to four years (applicable from FY 2021-22 to FY 2024-25) while retaining the right to pre-pay the instalment amounts,” Bharti Airtel said in a regulatory filing.

The company also made it clear that it will “not avail the option of conversion of the interest dues that accrue under aforesaid option into equity”.

Airtel said DoT had offered the option of four-year moratorium (applicable from FY 2021-22 to FY 2024-25) for AGR dues up to FY 2018-19 which are not tabulated in the Supreme Court order pertaining to statutory dues as well as for the conversion of the interest dues that accrue into equity.

The government calculates its share of revenue from telecom operators based on their AGR, which is considered to have been earned by them from the sale of services.

Last week, debt-ridden telecom operator Vodafone Idea (VIL) decided to defer payment of additional AGR dues of Rs. 8,837 crore by a period of four years.

In a filing on June 22, the company said DoT, on June 15, raised AGR demand for additional two financial years beyond 2016-17, which were not covered under the Supreme Court order on the statutory dues.

VIL had mentioned that its board of directors “has approved the exercise of the option of deferment of the AGR related dues by a period of four years with immediate effect, in accordance with the said DoT letter”.

“The amount of the AGR related dues as stated in the said DoT letter is Rs. 8,837 crore, which is subject to revision on account of disposal of various representations,” it had said.

Telecom service providers had got a shot in the arm with the government last year approving a blockbuster relief package that included a four-year break for companies from paying statutory dues, permission to share scarce airwaves, change in the definition of revenue on which levies are paid and 100 per cent foreign investment through the automatic route.

According to official data, telecom operators owe over Rs. 1.65 lakh crore to the government in adjusted gross revenue up to the financial year 2018-19.

The fresh calculation shows total AGR liability on Bharti Airtel is Rs. 31,280 crore, Vodafone Idea Rs. 59,230 crore, Tata Group Rs. 12,930 crore, Reliance Jio Rs. 630 crore, BSNL Rs. 16,220 crore and MTNL Rs 5,010 crore up to the financial year 2018-19.

Most of the telecom operators have made part payment of AGR demand raised till fiscal year 2016-17.

Bharti Airtel had an outstanding of Rs. 25,970 crore, VIL Rs. 50,400 crore, Tata Group companies Rs. 12,600 crore, BSNL Rs. 5,840 crore and MTNL Rs. 4,350 crore as on March 31, 2021.

The demand was also raised for some of the telecom companies like Sistema Shyam, Etisalat DB Telecom, S Tel, Reliance Communications that have shut down their telecom services business.

This week on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast, we discuss iPhone 13, new iPad and iPad mini, and Apple Watch Series 7 — and what they mean to the Indian market. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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