Lok Sabha Question No. 1823 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-04
Subject: Telecom Subscribers
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1823 TO BE ANSWERED ON 4 TH  MAY, 2016

## TELECOM SUBSCRIBERS

## †1823. SHRI RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a) the  details  of  mobile  subscribers  separately  of  GSM  and  CDMA  in  the  country,  State  and operator-wise;

(b) whether Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) while taking into consideration the growing number of  mobile  users  has  formulated  special  plan  for  expansion  and  improvement  of  telecom services;

- (c) if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the  schemes  launched  and  funds  allocated  for  the  same,  State-wise  along  with  the investment made by the telecom service providers for expansion of telecom and internet facilities during the last three years and the current year, circle and operator-wise?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) As regards details of mobile subscribers, Licenses are issued by DoT service-area wise and not  state-wise.    The  service-area  wise  and  operator-wise  subscriber  base  of  Wireless  Services (GSM and CDMA) ending February 2016 is given in Appendix-I

(b)&(c) As  regards  measures  taken  for  expansion  of  telecom  services,  TRAI  has  issued various recommendations which are as follows:

- (i)  The TRAI has recommended roll out obligations against allotment of spectrum, from time to time.
- (ii)  TRAI  had  submitted  its  recommendations  on  'Improving  Telecom  Services  in  the  NorthEastern  States:  An  Investment  Plan'  to  the  Government  on  26 th September  2013.  The press release highlighting the details of these Recommendations , (Recommendations on 'Improving Telecom Services in the north eastern  status : An Investment Plan' dated 26 th September 2013) as available on the TRAI website may kindly be referred to.

- (iii)  Further,  TRAI  had  submitted  its  recommendations  on  'Improving  Telecom  Services  in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep' to the Government on 22 nd July 2014. The press  release  highlighting  the  details  of  these  Recommendations,(Recommendations  on 'Improving Telecom Services in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep' dated the 22 nd July, 2014) as available on the TRAI website may kindly be referred to.
- (iv)  TRAI  has  laid  down  Quality  of  Service  Standards  which  are  to  be  adhered  to  by  the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs).

(d) Government has approved a project at a cost of Rs. 5336 Cr to cover 8621 uncovered villages in the country  in the North Eastern States.

Telecom  Commission  has  recommended  a  project  to  provide  submarine  optical  fibre connectivity between Chennai, Port Blair and five other islands at a capital cost of Rs. 880Cr. These projects are to be funded from USOF.

The details of Gross Block and the Capital Work in progress of various TSPs as obtained from TRAI are placed at Appendix-II.

Appendix - I

| Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (GSM) ending February 2016   |
|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| Sr No                                             | Service Area                                      | Bharti                                            | Vodafone                                          | MTNL GSM                                          | BSNL GSM                                          | Idea                                              | Tata GSM                                          | Aircel / Dishnet                                  | RCL GSM                                           | RTL                                               | Videocon                                          | Quadrant GSM Telenor                              | Total                                             |                                                   |
| 1                                                 | Andhra Pradesh                                    | 23,565,923                                        | 7,151,028                                         | 9,597,909                                         | 15,460,845                                        | 4,222,028                                         | 2,780,988                                         | 3,724,155                                         |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 5,712,060                                         | 72,214,936                                        |                                                   |
| 2                                                 | Assam                                             | 5,868,703 3,589,406                               |                                                   | 1,232,513                                         | 1,148,252                                         |                                                   | 5,077,054                                         |                                                   | 1,323,923                                         |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 18,239,851                                        |                                                   |
| 3                                                 | Bihar                                             | 27,823,152 9,385,723                              |                                                   | 2,951,593                                         | 11,181,318                                        | 1,236,897                                         | 6,968,769                                         |                                                   | 2,693,682                                         | 20,774                                            |                                                   | 8,633,814                                         | 70,895,722                                        |                                                   |
| 4                                                 | Delhi                                             | 11,215,868                                        | 10,067,193 2,316,813                              |                                                   | 6,206,267                                         |                                                   | 6,279,187                                         | 5,413,865                                         |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 41,499,193                                        |                                                   |
| 5                                                 | Gujarat                                           | 8,547,322 19,408,608                              |                                                   | 3,450,701                                         | 12,136,328                                        | 2,554,963                                         | 17,063                                            | 4,635,700                                         |                                                   | 879,413                                           |                                                   | 8,644,338                                         | 60,274,436                                        |                                                   |
| 6                                                 | Haryana                                           | 2,890,693 5,433,466                               |                                                   | 3154950                                           | 4,617,519                                         | 2,363,209                                         | 3,092                                             | 1,576,490                                         |                                                   | 2,236,766                                         |                                                   |                                                   | 22,276,185                                        |                                                   |
| 7                                                 | Himachal Pradesh                                  | 2,722,433 707,815                                 |                                                   | 1,615,479                                         | 791,062                                           | 37,353                                            | 1,088,770                                         |                                                   | 1,573,249                                         |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 8,536,161                                         |                                                   |
| 8                                                 | Jammu & Kashmir                                   | 3,336,575 1,057,201                               |                                                   | 1,254,342                                         | 618,001                                           |                                                   | 2,524,344                                         | 927,805                                           |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 9,718,268                                         |                                                   |
| 9                                                 | Karnataka                                         | 20,873,398 7,657,352                              |                                                   | 6,902,154                                         | 8,474,547                                         | 6,888,686                                         | 3,072,137                                         | 4,578,482                                         |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 58,446,756                                        |                                                   |
| 10                                                | Kerala                                            | 4,252,748 7,507,592                               |                                                   | 7,317,077                                         | 10,362,356                                        | 1,454,336                                         | 258,032                                           | 1,368,758                                         |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 32,520,899                                        |                                                   |
| 11                                                | Kolkata                                           | 4,640,914 5,360,276                               |                                                   | 769,286                                           | 2,170,173                                         | 2,456,753                                         | 4,134,247                                         |                                                   | 3,568,294                                         |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 23,099,943                                        |                                                   |
| 12                                                | Madhya Pradesh                                    | 12,359,120 6,850,557                              |                                                   | 4,163,808                                         | 21,089,876                                        | 4,324,418                                         | 20,694                                            |                                                   | 10,009,509                                        | 3,557,834                                         |                                                   |                                                   | 62,375,816                                        |                                                   |
| 13                                                | Maharashtra                                       | 13,235,522 18,377,409                             |                                                   | 5,657,284                                         | 23,344,618                                        | 4,458,032                                         |                                                   | 2,607,191 3,837,915                               |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 8,093,312                                         | 79,611,283                                        |                                                   |
| 14                                                | Mumbai                                            | 5,704,299 8,668,030                               | 1,230,728                                         |                                                   | 4,269,970                                         | 2,292,242                                         |                                                   | 2,829,840 4,088,135                               |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 29,083,244                                        |                                                   |
| 15                                                | North East                                        | 3,876,134 1,525,366                               |                                                   | 1,348,225                                         | 501,369                                           |                                                   | 3,109,130                                         |                                                   | 363,365                                           |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 10,723,589                                        |                                                   |
| 16                                                | Orissa                                            | 10,131,407 4,049,948                              |                                                   | 4,004,842                                         | 1,703,251                                         | 2,122,148                                         |                                                   | 4,560,539                                         | 1,605,821                                         |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 28,177,956                                        |                                                   |
| 17                                                | Punjab                                            | 7,998,157 5,123,789                               |                                                   | 3,476,836                                         | 6,440,321                                         | 2,174,268                                         | 1,051,297                                         | 1,433,626                                         |                                                   |                                                   | 3,124,867                                         |                                                   | 30,823,161                                        |                                                   |
| 18                                                | Rajasthan                                         | 19,218,246 11,922,052                             |                                                   | 3,749,971                                         | 7,819,633                                         | 584,461                                           | 6,403,330                                         | 5,737,438                                         |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 55,435,131                                        |                                                   |
| 19                                                | Tamilnadu including Chennai                       | 17,174,868 15,466,507                             |                                                   | 8,692,372                                         | 5,995,868                                         | 4,761,277                                         | 21,527,561                                        | 4,857,057                                         |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 78,475,510                                        |                                                   |
| 20                                                | Uttar Pradesh East                                | 20,619,383 18,871,460                             |                                                   | 8,666,672                                         | 10,687,993                                        | 3,732,755                                         | 6,830,208                                         | 6,803,893                                         |                                                   | 13,155                                            |                                                   | 12,071,627                                        | 88,297,146                                        |                                                   |
| 21                                                | Uttar Pradesh West                                | 8,159,465 11,331,528                              |                                                   | 4,099,781                                         | 14,209,495                                        | 3,026,553                                         | 648,563                                           | 4,767,318                                         |                                                   | 20,043                                            |                                                   | 8,522,382                                         | 54,785,128                                        |                                                   |
| 22                                                | West Bengal                                       | 14,475,915 17,233,977                             |                                                   | 1549045                                           | 5,398,429                                         | 417,414                                           | 4,885,742                                         |                                                   | 2,624,595                                         |                                                   |                                                   |                                                   | 46,585,117                                        |                                                   |
|                                                   | Total                                             | 248,690,245                                       | 196,746,283 3,547,541                             | 83,654,840                                        | 174,627,491                                       | 49,107,793                                        | 86,677,778                                        | 53,750,637                                        | 23,762,438                                        | 6,727,985                                         | 3,124,867                                         | 51,677,533                                        | 982,095,431                                       |                                                   |

| Wireless Subscribers (CDMA) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (CDMA) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (CDMA) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (CDMA) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (CDMA) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (CDMA) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (CDMA) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (CDMA) ending February 2016   | Wireless Subscribers (CDMA) ending February 2016   |
|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| Sr No                                              | Service Area                                       | MTNL CDMA                                          | BSNL CDMA                                          | Tata CDMA                                          | RCL CDMA                                           | Sistema Shyam CDMA                                 | Quadrant CDMA                                      | Total                                              |
| 1                                                  | Andhra Pradesh                                     |                                                    | 27,169                                             | 833,243                                            | 1,781,837                                          |                                                    |                                                    | 2,642,249                                          |
| 2                                                  | Assam                                              |                                                    | 66,118                                             |                                                    |                                                    |                                                    |                                                    | 66,118                                             |
| 3                                                  | Bihar                                              |                                                    | 143,425                                            | 449,942                                            | 1,750,298                                          |                                                    |                                                    | 2,343,665                                          |
| 4                                                  | Delhi                                              | 22,975                                             |                                                    | 2,210,894                                          | 3,061,372                                          | 934,410                                            |                                                    | 6,229,651                                          |
| 5                                                  | Gujarat                                            |                                                    | 51,985                                             | 296,596                                            | 1,099,126                                          | 206,740                                            |                                                    | 1,654,447                                          |
| 6                                                  | Haryana                                            |                                                    | 5,724                                              | 374,131                                            | 377,040                                            |                                                    |                                                    | 756,895                                            |
| 7                                                  | Himachal Pradesh                                   |                                                    | 15,748                                             | 31,553                                             | 176,098                                            |                                                    |                                                    | 223,399                                            |
| 8                                                  | Jammu & Kashmir                                    |                                                    | 24,888                                             |                                                    | 41                                                 |                                                    |                                                    | 24,929                                             |
| 9                                                  | Karnataka                                          |                                                    | 61,612                                             | 378,011                                            | 1,302,268                                          | 1,184,568                                          |                                                    | 2,926,459                                          |
| 10                                                 | Kerala                                             |                                                    | 123,730                                            | 111,505                                            | 836,139                                            | 356,748                                            |                                                    | 1,428,122                                          |
| 11                                                 | Kolkata                                            |                                                    | 6,672                                              | 320,044                                            | 1,003,731                                          | 538,938                                            |                                                    | 1,869,385                                          |
| 12                                                 | Madhya Pradesh                                     |                                                    | 90,581                                             | 391,410                                            | 2,236,814                                          |                                                    |                                                    | 2,718,805                                          |
| 13                                                 | Maharashtra                                        |                                                    | 62,888                                             | 2,122,542                                          | 1,747,716                                          |                                                    |                                                    | 3,933,146                                          |
| 14                                                 | Mumbai                                             | 63,839                                             |                                                    | 1,039,225                                          | 1,714,536                                          |                                                    |                                                    | 2,817,600                                          |
| 15                                                 | North East                                         |                                                    | 161,504                                            |                                                    |                                                    |                                                    |                                                    | 161,504                                            |
| 16                                                 | Orissa                                             |                                                    | 38,796                                             | 126,986                                            | 204,790                                            |                                                    |                                                    | 370,572                                            |
| 17                                                 | Punjab                                             |                                                    | 21,096                                             | 493,439                                            | 155,495                                            |                                                    | 1,898                                              | 671,928                                            |
| 18                                                 | Rajasthan                                          |                                                    | 70,613                                             | 913,580                                            | 948,989                                            | 2,109,340                                          |                                                    | 4,042,522                                          |
| 19                                                 | Tamilnadu including Chennai                        |                                                    | 47,865                                             | 194,967                                            | 1,794,896                                          | 755,851                                            |                                                    | 2,793,579                                          |
| 20                                                 | Uttar Pradesh East                                 |                                                    | 22,840                                             | 382,575                                            | 2,415,126                                          |                                                    |                                                    | 2,820,541                                          |
| 21                                                 | Uttar Pradesh West                                 |                                                    | 57,932                                             | 452,238                                            | 1,202,740                                          | 157,017                                            |                                                    | 1,869,927                                          |
| 22                                                 | West Bengal                                        |                                                    | 70542                                              | 47,951                                             | 583,348                                            | 1,501,153                                          |                                                    | 2,202,994                                          |
|                                                    | Total                                              | 86,814                                             | 1,171,728                                          | 11,170,832                                         | 24,392,400                                         | 7,744,765                                          | 1,898                                              | 44,568,437                                         |

## Appendix-II

(Rs. in crore)

|                           | 2012-13     | 2012-13                  | 2013-14     | 2013-14                  | 2014-15     | 2014-15                  |
|---------------------------|-------------|--------------------------|-------------|--------------------------|-------------|--------------------------|
| Name of TSP               | Gross Block | Capital Work in Progress | Gross Block | Capital Work in Progress | Gross Block | Capital Work in Progress |
| Aircel (ACL+DWL+AL)       | 29406       | 5124                     | 29692       | 5295                     | 34686       | 1030                     |
| Bharti (Airtel + Hexacom) | 80783       | 1096                     | 84377       | 2201                     | 105507      | 9322                     |
| BSNL                      | 176622      | 3696                     | 167777      | 3878                     | 169088      | 3279                     |
| Idea                      | 41198       | 843                      | 45279       | 11380                    | 55843       | 5079                     |
| MTNL                      | 30670       | 932                      | 26709       | 383                      | 27173       | 134                      |
| Reliance (RCL + RTL)      | 61520       | 1183                     | 63786       | 1094                     | 65510       | 781                      |
| Tata (TTML + TTSL)        | 39607       | 195                      | 40204       | 250                      | 40786       | 204                      |
| Vodafone (8 companies)    | 53071       | 2769                     | 59373       | 22064                    | 88721       | 1823                     |
| Others                    | 51681       | 19264                    | 45743       | 35684                    | 43143       | 74266                    |
| Industry (Total)          | 564558      | 35104                    | 562939      | 82230                    | 630456      | 95918                    |

Note: The above information is based on audited/unaudited financial information submitted by licensed telecom service providers to TRAI

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