Reliance Jio Loses Nearly 80 Lakh Subscribers In September, BSNL Lone Gainer: TRAI Data

India's telecom landscape witnessed Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd., the largest telecom operator, register a staggering net loss of 79.7 lakh subscribers in September, marking a significant shift in the sector, according to the latest report by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

While Jio's customer base dipped sharply, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. stood out as the lone gainer, adding 8.5 lakh new users, defying industry trends.

Among private operators, Vodafone Idea Ltd. continued its struggle, shedding 15.5 lakh subscribers, reflecting ongoing challenges in retaining its user base amid financial woes.

Bharti Airtel Ltd., another major player, also saw a decline, losing 14.3 lakh subscribers during the month, despite its otherwise robust positioning in urban and premium markets.

September marked one of the largest monthly drops for telecom giant Jio, which has been leading the industry in subscriber acquisition since its launch.

BSNL's gain of 8.5 lakh subscribers in September could signify increased interest in its affordable plans and improved rural connectivity. This is particularly noteworthy as the public sector unit had been losing ground to private players in recent years.

Bharti Airtel's loss of 14.3 lakh users came as a surprise, as the operator has consistently focused on premium services and expanding its 5G network.

This comes on the heels of the TRAI report on a 20% decrease in complaints against unregistered telemarketers and spam calls, dropping from 1.89 lakh in August to 1.51 lakh in October 2024.

This improvement followed TRAI's directive in August to stop voice promotional calls from unregistered senders. The directive included a two-year blacklist for violators.

TRAI also organised webinars for businesses and telemarketers to enforce anti-spam measures, such as migrating calls, starting with the 140 series to the online DLT platform, and ensuring traceability of messages.

Two webinars have already been held, with 1,800 participants from regulated entities like RBI, SEBI, PFRDA, and IRDAI. As a result, over 13,000 entities have registered with telecom providers, and registrations are ongoing.