India's cell phone users cross 12.6 million mark
Tuesday, 15 April 2003, 19:30 IST
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NEW DELHI: The number of mobile phone users in India surged 97.3 per cent in March from a year ago to 12.688 million, the Cellular Operators Association said on Monday. The number of new subscribers added in March jumped 57.1 per cent from the previous month, to 931,590. Mobile phone users are expected to surge to 120 million by 2008, making the sector one of the hottest markets for global telecoms majors facing low demand in most western countries. The main players in the cellular market are Bharti Tele-Ventures Ltd, 16 per cent owned by Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, state-owned telecoms giant Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and the Indian mobile unit of the Hutchison Whampoa conglomerate. Other players are Idea Cellular Ltd, partly owned by US firm AT&T Wireless Services Inc, and state-run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. The unlisted BSNL -- which has the license to provide cellular services across India except New Delhi and Mumbai -- began its services in October and has attracted new users in small towns and cities.
Source: IANS
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