According to the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the GSM subscriber base in rural areas witnessed an increase of 2.81 million users in September 2014. The overall rural customer base grew by 0.92 per cent from 304.73 million as of end-August 2014 to 307.54 million as of end-September 2014.
Among the service providers, Vodafone India recorded the highest growth in rural customer base during September 2014, with an addition of 1.03 million subscribers taking the operator?s overall rural users base to 91.86 million. Idea Cellular witnessed the second highest addition of new rural users, with 0.96 million customers, which increased its total rural subscriber base to 78.23 million. Aircel?s rural subscriber base stood at 26.81 million as of end-September 2014, following an addition of 0.38 million new users in the period under consideration. The total rural subscriber base of Bharti Airtel stood at 97.45 million, following an increment of 0.13 million users during September 2014.
Telewings Communications experienced the highest month-on-month growth rate of 2.41 per cent in its subscriber base, adding about 0.31 million rural users during September 2014. As of end-September 2014, the total rural subscriber base of Telewings stood at 13.19 million.
In terms of rural-urban mix, Idea and Vodafone had the highest number of rural customers as of end-September 2014.
Among the service areas, the Gujarat circle witnessed the maximum number of net addition of 0.91 million new rural subscribers during September 2014.
