Tata Teleservices adds highest mobile users in Nov

Telecom operator Tata Teleservices today said its subscriber addition in November at 3.3 million is the highest for the fourth time in a row among all service providers, including GSM operators.

"Tata Teleservices has added 3,329,215 new subscribers in November 2009 from its CDMA (Tata Indicom) and GSM operations (TATA DOCOMO) put together. In October too, TTSL had added 3.8 million new subscribers," said the company.

Reliance Communications (RCOM.NS : 170.5 +2.55) and Tata Tele are dual technology service providers.

During the month, Bharti Airtel (BHARTIARTL.BO : 318.7 +6.85), which operates on GSM technology added 2.8 million mobile subscribers (as per COAI) while RCom added 2.2 million wireless users from both GSM and CDMA division (as per AUSPI).

"It is gratifying to emerge as the top grosser in the industry in terms of new subscriber additions, for the fourth consecutive month. We have added close to 15 million new subscribers over the last four months.

In the recent past, the company have announced offers such as 'Pay-for-exactly-what-you-use pricing paradigm for roaming services as well on the TATA DOCOMO platform, he said adding, from the Tata Indicom stable, customers have access to the innovative 'Pay-Per Call' offer, wherein a subscriber speaks for three minutes and the next three minutes are free.

Also they have the unique per second plan, Sardana added.

Competition is expected to become stiffer in India, which is also the fastest-growing mobile-telephone market, with more companies launching their services.

Unitech Wireless Ltd, a joint venture between Norwegian telecom giant Telenor ASA and Indian real-estate company Unitech Ltd (UNITECH.BO : 72.5 -1.2), is the latest entrant. STel, another mobile operators has also started its services in some parts, including Delhi.

tariff plans from new service providers to win customers have forced established players such as Bharti and Vodafone Essar to join a price war, bringing call charges to as low as one paise a minute.