India’s mobile subscriber additions slow in Oct as Vodafone Idea losses deepen

India’s telecom sector saw a slowdown in subscriber additions in October, with net mobile user additions dropping sharply compared to the previous month, data from the sector regulator showed on Friday.

The country added 1.43 million mobile users in October, down from 3.41 million in September, according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The moderation came as gains by market leaders were partly offset by a deeper decline at cash-strapped Vodafone Idea.

Reliance Jio, the country’s largest telecom operator by subscribers, added 2 million users in October. This was lower than the 3.25 million users added in September, but the company maintained its lead in monthly additions as it continued to expand its 5G coverage and push bundled plans.

Bharti Airtel saw a sharp improvement in performance, adding 1.25 million mobile users in October, compared with 437,000 in September. Airtel has been focusing on higher-paying users and improving churn management, which contributed to the stronger monthly additions.

Struggling Vodafone Idea reported a deeper decline, losing 2 million users in October. This compares with a loss of 744,000 subscribers in September. The operator has continued to see high user churn due to limited 4G investments and delayed tariff hikes, even as it attempts to raise funds for network expansion.