Surge in mobile use hits fixed lines: Trai

Increased penetration of mobile phones has adversely impacted the subscriber base of fixed phone lines across the country, according to data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) in its quarterly report.

The report reveals that while the subscriber base for wireless services has increased from 209.07 million in September 2007 to 233.62 million for the quarter ended December 2007, the subscriber base for wireline has decreased from 39.58 million to 39.25 million in the recent quarter.

This decrease was also visible in the rural wireline subscriber base with the numbers coming down by 2 per cent to 11.75 million reported in the December quarter in comparison with 11.75 million in September 2007.

Meanwhile, the rural wireless subscriber base grew 19.4 per cent to reach 52.52 million during the quarter ended 31 December, 2007, as against 43.98 million for the quarter ending September 2007.

According to the report, the total subscriber base of the wireline and wireless services reached 272.87 million during the quarter ended December 2007, registering an increase of 9.74 per cent from 248.65 million in the quarter ended September 2007. Analysts say if the trend continues India would reach the 300-million subscriber base for telephones by April-end.