In Nov, GSM players add 36 lakh users in rural areas

GSM mobile operators added 36.2 lakh subscribers in rural areas in November to take the overall rural subscriber figure to 27.8 crore, according to the Cellular Operators Association of India.

The total number of rural subscribers on the GSM platform was 27.8 crore as on November 30.

Vodafone tops the list Vodafone added the maximum of 13.8 lakh users, taking its rural subscriber base to 8.53 crore at the end of November, the industry body said

Bharti Airtel, which has maximum rural subscribers, added 11 lakh users during the month and its base stood at 8.8 crore. Idea Cellular and Aircel added 5.4 lakh and 5.7 lakh users to take their respective base to 7 crore and 2.38 crore.

Telewings, the India unit of Telenor, gained 30,000 rural subscribers during the month, to expand its base to 1.01 crore. The Uttar Pradesh (East circle) has maximum rural subscribers at 2.85 crore.

The total rural teledensity stood at 42 per cent as on September 2013, COAI said.

adith.charlie@thehindu.co.in