In July 2024, BSNL gained 30,00,000 new subscribers, while Airtel lost 17,00,000, Vodafone Idea lost 14,00,000 and Reliance Jio lost 8,00,000 subscribers.
Then in August 2024, BSNL gained another 25,00,000 new subscribers, while Reliance Jio lost 40,00,000 subscribers, Airtel lost 24,00,000 subscribers and Vodafone Idea lost 19,00,000 subscribers.
In August, the total subscribers lost by three mobile service providers adds up to 83,00,000 but surprisingly the media is reporting only an addition of 25,00,000 in BSNL’s kitty.
Over the last several months, ever since the price hike carried out by the other three operators, BSNL has been gaining subscribers.
It is now estimated that Reliance has lost 1,00,00,000 subscribers since the fare hike and has taken rearguard action by introducing some cheaper packs.
The ARPU (Average Revenue per user) for Reliance Jio stands at 195. Thus Reliance Jio has lost monthly revenue of 1,00,00,000 x 195 = 195 Crores or 2,340 Crores!
Airtel, the market leader with an ARPU of 211, has lost around 41,00,000 subscribers in the July-August 2024 period (for which data is available), leading to a monthly revenue loss of 86.51 Crores or 1,038 Crores per year.
Vodafone Idea, the already tottering mobile service provider, lost 33,00,000 users and has an ARPU of 146, thus it too lost 48.18 Crores in monthly revenue and 578.16 Crores in annual revenue.
All of these have been BSNL’s gain as people are flocking to it due to its lower tariff. BSNL’s ARPU is around 95. If one was to take a total migration of people from Jio, Airtel and Vodafone, then BSNL has added close to 2,00,00,000 subscribers to its base. Its monthly revenue has gone up by 180 Crores and annual revenue by 2,160 Crores.
Yet, we don’t see or hear any Modi government minister or Modi himself claiming credit for this massive growth in revenue.
Is it because it is coming at the expense of Jio and Airtel, both Modi’s favored companies?
And we Indians should be worried about Vodafone Idea, it is tottering on the verge of closure, its share price has tanked. People of India own 23% of Vodafone Idea as government debt was converted into equity. Also Vodafone Idea has a debt of close to 3,00,000 Crores. If this company fails, it will have grave consequences for banks and also for the people of India as past revenues and future income, which is due to Government of India, will vanish into thin air.
