Prepaid Tariff Hike Effect: BSNL Adds More Subscribers Than Jio in December 2019
Government-owned BSNL has managed to grab 427,089 users in December 2019, beating Jio for the first time and securing a market share of 10.26%
- BSNL has added just over four lakh new users in December 2019
- Reliance Jio added 82,000 new users in the same month as prepaid tariff hike effect shows for the first time
- Vodafone Idea lost over 3.5 million existing customers
Well, the inevitable has happened at last. State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has added more subscribers than any other telecom operator in India in December 2019. After the prepaid tariff hike in December 2019, everyone expected that BSNL would lead the subscriber addition chart, which is true if the subscription data released by Trai is anything to go by. During the month of December, BSNL added 4.2 lakh new users which was followed by Reliance Jio which added just 82,308 new customers. For the first time since its inception, Reliance Jio has added less than five million users. This will put a lot of questions on Jio’s goal of reaching 500 million subscriber base in the next two quarters. As always, Vodafone Idea lost the most number of subscribers in the month, followed by Bharti Airtel and MTNL.
BSNL Beats Reliance Jio for the First Time in Subscriber Additions
Reliance Jio emerged as the winner in almost every month since it launched services to the public back in September 2016. The company averaged more than five million users every month, but the latest prepaid tariff hike and the continuation of IUC have dented its monthly additions for the first time. The Mukesh Ambani-led telco added just 82,308 new users in December 2019 and it is still the leading telco with 32.14% market share.
Government-owned BSNL has managed to grab 427,089 users in the same month, beating Jio for the first time and securing a market share of 10.26%. At the start of December 2019, private telecom operators hiked prepaid tariff prices by up to 40%, but BSNL did not make any major changes to the tariffs except reducing validity in select circles.
The decision of not hiking prepaid tariffs helped BSNL grab more new customers than Reliance Jio in December.
Vodafone Idea Lost 3.6 Million Users in the Same Month
The situation is getting worse for Vodafone Idea as the telco lost 3.6 million users in December 2019. Bharti Airtel also lost just over 11,000 subscribers in the last month of 2019. So the tariff hike effect can also be seen on Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea. In November 2019, Vodafone Idea lost over 30 million existing customers which dented its overall user base by a considerable margin. And the subscriber losses for the telco continues.
As for the overall standings, Reliance Jio is still the leading telecom operator in India, followed by Vodafone Idea with 28.89% and Bharti Airtel with 28.43%. BSNL continues to be India’s fourth-largest telco with a market share of 10.26%.
PMO RESPONDS TO THE MEMORANDUM ON PENSION REVISION SENT BY COM.A.DHUPAL, CHQ VICE PRESIDENT, ODISHA.
EX-GRATIA TO VRS RETIREES- MEETING WITH DDG (ACCOUNTS), DOT
Com. K G jayaraj, General Secretary visited Sanchar Bhawan to meet the Member (Finance) to ascertain the progress on payment of the first installment of ex-gratia to the VRS retirees. Unfortunately he was not available and has met Shri.Amitab Ranjan Sinha, DDG(Accounts) Department of Telecommunications on 27-02-2020.
The DDG( Accounts) stated that the amount for the first installment of ex-gratia to the VRS reirees will be made over to BSNL once BSNL gives the required data on the actual requirement and hoped to fulfil before the target date of March 31, 2020.
On issuing PPOs to the VRS retirees, DDG clarified that the work is being carried out satifactorily in almost all CCAs.
JHARGRAM MP SHRI.KUNAR HEMBRAM MET BY KHARAGPUR DELEGATION.
Kharagpur District delegation led by Coms.Susanta Ghosh, CHQ Vice President & Circle President and Madhup Sengupta, District Secretary have met Shri. Kunar Hembram, MP, Jhargram on 26-02-2020. The delegation brought to his notice the issue of pension revision pending unsettled for the last three years and gave him a letter on the issue and handed over a copy of the memorandum being submitted to the Prime Minister. The MP assured the delegation appropriate action in the matter. Coms.Anupam Saha (District President), R Singh and C R Majumdar were the other members of the delegation.
BSNL PENSION REVISION- SHRI.JYOTIRMOY SINGH MAHATO,MP, PURULIA, WEST BENGAL MET BY AIBDPA DELEGATION ON 25-02-2020 AND HANDED OVER MEMORANDUM. HE ASSURED SUITABLE ACTION.
AIBDPA BERHAMPORE DISTRICT DELEGATION’S MEETING WITH SHRI. ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY. MP.
Our Berhampore District delegation had a nice meeting with Shri.Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury ,MP and leader of Congress in Lok Sabha on 25-02-2020. The delegation briefed him on BSNL pension revision issue and handed over a letter and copy of memorandum being submitted to the Prime Minister. The MP was very positive and assured the delegation all the possible efforts on his part.
AUAB HUNGER STRIKE HELD SUCCESSFULLY ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ;PENSIONERS PARTICIPATED IN GOOD NUMBER.
CORPORATE OFFICE, NEW DELHI.- COM.P ABHIMANYU, CONVENOR ADDRESSING.
The second phase of the agitational program called by AUAB, Hunger Strike on 24-02-2020 has been held successfully throughout the country. The agitation was oraganised demanding immediate payment of salary of January, 2020, timely payment of salary, immediate payment of 10 months wages to the contract workers, immediate implementation of revival package etc. In New Delhi , the hunger strike was addressed by the leaders of AUAB constituent unions and associations. Com.K G Jayaraj, General Secretary along with a good number of AIBDPA members participated fully. Reports received indicate that in almost all places, AIBDPA members joined the Hunger Strike as per the call of CHQ.
RECEPTION ACCORDED TO VRS RETIREES BY AIBDPA KURNOOL DISTRICT ON 22-02-2020.. 63 VRS RETIREES HAVE ALREADY JOINED AIBDPA.
TRIPURA DISTRICT CONFERENCE HELD WITH HUGE PARTICIPATION.
The 5th biennial District Conference of Tripura District Branch has been held with large participation of pensioners at Matangini Pritilata Sabhagriha, Agartala on 22-02-2020. Com.B C Pal, District President and the Vice Presidents were in the presidium. Com.M C Bhowmik, District Secretary welcomed and presented the biennial report followed by the audited accounts by Com.Ganesh Goswami., Treasurer. 20 delegates participated actively in the discussion on the report covering various issues of the pensioners, current political situation, BSNL revival package and the struggles being launched by AIBDPA for pension revision. Thereafter the report and accounts were adopted by the conference. Leaders of BSNLEU,SNEA, AIBSNLEA, AICCWF also addressed the conference.
Office bearers were elected unanimously with Coms. B C Pal (President), Mintu Chandra Bhowmik (District Secretary) and Mohendra Bebnath (Treasurer)