Mumbai: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has published its telecom subscription data report for 31 July 2024. The report revealed that Reliance Jio experienced a decline of 0.7 million users, despite gaining 1.91 million in June. In contrast, state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) saw a significant increase, adding 2.9 million users in July, benefiting from a period when its private competitors raised their tariffs.

In June, BSNL had lost 0.74 million users, but the subsequent tariff hikes implemented by private operators prompted many users to switch. The three major private players—Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi)—all raised their prices in early July, with BSNL maintaining its existing rates.

Airtel was particularly affected, losing 1.69 million subscribers in July after previously adding 1.25 million in June. Vi also faced a setback, losing 1.41 million users, although this was an improvement compared to its June loss of 0.86 million. Notably, Vi has experienced ongoing subscriber losses for over a year, until Airtel recently surpassed it.

The tariff hikes, which occurred around 3-4 July, varied in magnitude; Airtel's increases were smaller than Jio's, which ranged from 12 to 25 per cent. These adjustments notably impacted Airtel's 2G subscriber base, while Jio chose not to alter its pricing in that segment. Meanwhile, Vi has concentrated on offering unlimited data plans with various validity periods ranging from 28 days to a year.