BSNL top Internet service provider

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd enjoys dominant position among Internet service providers with a 43 per cent market share as in June followed by Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd at a distant 19 per cent, according to a Telecom Regulatory Authority of India study.

While ranking the companies, the study expressed concern over the slackening pace of Internet and broadband penetration as a result of which not even a single target set by the regulator in 2005 has been met.

As in June, there were 7.71 million Internet (including broadband) connections and about 20 per cent of the total Internet subscribers are broadband users but this segment is growing at a faster rate. Annual growth rate of Internet subscribers seen for the last three years is about 25 per cent.

Growth rate for the quarter ending June-06 has been 11 per cent, translating into an annual growth rate of about 44 per cent.

About 62 per cent of the total Internet subscribers were with PSUs as against 56 per cent in March. While BSNL operates in rest of the country except Delhi and Mumbai, MTNL operates only in Delhi and Mumbai. Private ISP Sify has 11.83 per cent market share.

The market share of Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd has fallen to a low of 6 per cent followed by Bharti at 5.73 per cent.

There are 153 ISPs in operation, 86 per cent of the total subscriber base is with the above five leading ISPs. It may be worth noting here that about 62 per cent of the total Internet subscriber base is with the PSUs (BSNL/MTNL).

Their pan-India presence and the dominant status in Fixed service, puts them in an advantageous position to offer combo plans.

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