GSM operators add 8.17 mn users in December

India's GSM operators continued to enjoy their subscriber-addition run, with the seven operators adding 8.17 million users between themselves in December, a 1.22 per cent increase from the previous month.

The total number of GSM users in the country rose to 678.54 million as of December-end.

In comparison, the country's operators added 8.21 million users in November, a 1.24 per cent rise from the previous month.

Idea Cellular topped with 2.58 million subscriber additions, taking its total to 150.54 million users. The Aditya Birla group company's market share rose to 22.19 as of December-end, according to data released by industry body Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI).

Bharti Airtel, the country's largest service operator by revenue and subscribers, added 1.76 million new users. The New Delhi-based company topped the charts in total number of subscribers with 217.22 million users, while its market share rose to 32.01 per cent.

Vodafone India, the second largest operator in the country, added 1.49 million users during the month under review, taking its total to 178.68 million.

The Mumbai-based company, the Indian unit of British telecom major Vodafone Group, had a market share of 26.33 per cent (26.43 per cent) in December.

Aircel added 915,867 users, taking the total to 78.67 million. However, the company's market share fell a tad to 11.59 per cent in December from the earlier 11.60 per cent.

Uninor, controlled by Norwegian telecom firm Telenor, added 1.20 million users during the month under review, taking its total user base to 43.63 million. The company's market share rose to 6.43 per cent.

Videocon added 208,832 users taking its total to 6.45 million and in turn, increasing its market share to 0.95 per cent.

State-run MTNL added 22,469 taking its total subscriber base to 3.35 million and market share to 0.50 per cent.

COAI said umbers for Loop Mobile, which closed down operations on 9 November 2014, were not included, while state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has not been providing figures since September 2012.

Group Company wise % market share (Subscribers) - December 2014