Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has added 2.5 million wireless subscribers in August as the state-owned operator capitalised on recent tariff hikes by the private operators.

This marks the second consecutive month of significant growth for BSNL, following a 2.94 million subscriber surge in July.

In contrast, private players Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea experienced substantial subscriber losses in August.

Jio shed 4 million customers, while Airtel and Vodafone Idea lost 2.4 million and 1.87 million subscribers,respectively.

The tariff hikes, implemented in July 2024, have led to a decline in overall wireless subscriptions.

Total mobile subscribers decreased to 1,163.83 million in August from 1,169.61 million in July.

While private telcos grapple with the impact of the tariff hikes, BSNL has maintained a steady course.

The state-owned operator has refrained from increasing tariffs, prioritising customer satisfaction and building trust.

As a result, BSNL’s market share has risen to 7.84 per cent in August from 7.59 per cent in July

Jio’s market share dipped to 40.53 per cent; Airtel’s to 33.07 per cent from 33.23 per cent; and Vodafone Idea’s to 18.39 per cent from 18.46 per cent .

Robert Ravi, chairman and managing director of BSNL, has said the company will not increase tariffs in the near future.

BSNL’s primary focus is on ensuring customer satisfaction and building consumer confidence, noting that there is no immediate need for tariff hikes, he said.

Broadband race

Jio leads with 485.29 million broadband connections, followed by Airtel with 284.55 million.

Vodafone Idea holds a distant third position with 125.92 million connections.