According to the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the GSM subscriber base in rural areas witnessed an increase of 4.70 million users in February 2015. The overall rural customer base grew by 1.44 per cent from 325.64 million as of end-January 2015 to reach 330.34 million as of end-February 2015.

Among the service providers, Bharti Airtel recorded the highest growth in rural customer base during February 2015, with an addition of 1.68 million subscribers taking the operator’s overall rural users base to 104.93 million. Vodafone India witnessed the second highest addition of new rural users, with 1.14 million customers, which increased its total rural subscriber base to 96.45 million. Idea Cellular witnessed the third highest addition of new rural users, with 1.52 million customers and its total rural subscriber base stood at 86.46 million. The total rural subscriber base of Aircel and Telewings Communications stood at 28.37 million and 14.13 million, following an increment of 0.15 million and 0.21 million users respectively during February 2015.

Among the service areas, the Bihar circle witnessed the maximum number of net addition of 0.89 million new rural subscribers during February 2015.

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