Lok Sabha Question No. 605 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-16
Subject: Market Share of BSNL and MTNL
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Krupal Balaji Tumane, Omprakash Bhupalsinh alias Pawan Rajenimbalkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 605 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## MARKET SHARE OF BSNL AND MTNL

†605.   SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH alias PAWAN RAJENIMBALKAR:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether MTNL and BSNL are more indebted due to the loss of market share in landline and mobile services than private telecommunication companies;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including the debt reported by BSNL and MTNL during the last three years and the current year along with the reasons therefor; and
- (c) the separate number of mobile and landline connections surrendered during the said period, company-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATION AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE)

- (a) Market share of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) for the last three years are as under:

| Market share as on   | Market share of BSNL (in %age)   | Market share of BSNL (in %age)   | Market share of BSNL (in %age)   | Market share of MTNL* (in %age)   | Market share of MTNL* (in %age)   | Market share of MTNL* (in %age)   |
|----------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|                      | Wireline                         | Wireless                         | Total                            | Wireline                          | Wireless                          | Total                             |
| 31.03.2018           | 53.78                            | 9.44                             | 10.30                            | 54.13                             | 3.94                              | 7.16                              |
| 31.03.2019           | 51.47                            | 9.96                             | 10.72                            | 52.51                             | 3.83                              | 6.95                              |
| 31.03.2020           | 43.16                            | 10.35                            | 10.92                            | 48.80                             | 3.68                              | 6.61                              |

MTNL and BSNL are indebted due to stiff competition in telecom sector resulting in reduced tariffs,  high  staff  cost  and  absence  of  4G  services  (except  on  a  limited  basis  in  certain  areas  for BSNL).

- (b) Debt  reported  by  BSNL  and  MTNL  during  the  last  three  years  and  the  current  year  is  as under:

(in Rupees crore)

| Debt as on   | BSNL   | MTNL   |
|--------------|--------|--------|
| 31.03.2018   | 9,452  | 16,974 |
| 31.03.2019   | 15,988 | 19,692 |
| 31.03.2020   | 21,902 | 22,966 |
| 31.08.2020   | 21,902 | 23,950 |

Loans  are  availed  to  meet  the  capital  expenditure  and  shortfall  in  operational  revenue  and expenditure.

## (c) Number of landline and mobile connections of BSNL and MTNL surrendered during the last three years are as under:

| Period   | Connections surrendered in BSNL   | Connections surrendered in BSNL   | Connections surrendered in MTNL   | Connections surrendered in MTNL   |
|----------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| Period   | Landline                          | Mobile                            | Landline                          | Mobile                            |
| 2017-20  | 41,34,029                         | 3,45,000                          | 5,28,520                          | 4,88,491                          |

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