The GSM (global system for mobile communications) operators in the country added 8.3 million subscribers in May taking the total subscriber base to 306.4 million.

According to data released by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the subscriptions of GSM-based mobile operators in India reached 306.4 million in May compared to a subscriber base of 298.1 million in April.

Bharti Airtel continued to lead in the GSM space with a market share of 32.48 per cent. The company added to their kitty 2.8 million subscribers in May 2009.

Another major telecom player, Vodafone added over 2.5 million new GSM subscribers, taking its subscriber base to a total of 74 million.

Idea Cellular with 14.84 per cent market share has added 1.3 million subscribers taking its subscriber base to 45.4 million. The company added maximum connections in the states of MP and Bihar.

In the meantime, public sector players, BSNL and MTNL, both saw a decline in subscriber addition in the month. The subscriber addition in May dropped drastically for BSNL as in April the firm had added 1 million new users.

BSNL has a market share of 15.72 per cent. MTNL has managed to add 38,036 users, taking its subscriber base to 4.2 million. In April, MTNL had added 45,553 subscribers.

Speaking on this, an industry spokesperson said: “Private operators are maintaining the growth rate. If BSNL ramps up its network then the growth rate will be back on track.”

However, the data for the month of May does not include Reliance Communications Ltd, country’s second-largest mobile operator, which reports figures separately. But total GSM subscribers include Reliance's GSM users at the end of April. 

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