Mukesh Ambani’s Jio Faces Major Setback as BSNL Gains 5.5 Million Users

Reliance Jio, India’s largest telecom operator led by Mukesh Ambani, witnessed a steep decline in its user base, losing 7.9 million subscribers in September 2024. This marks one of the most significant losses for the telecom giant as users shift toward state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).

According to data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), private telecom providers collectively lost nearly 10 million subscribers during the month. Jio faced the largest drop, followed by Vodafone-Idea (Vi) and Bharti Airtel, which lost 1.5 million and 1.4 million users, respectively.

BSNL capitalized on the subscriber churn from private operators, adding over 5.5 million users between July and October 2024. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) reported that 1.5 million users migrated to BSNL in July, followed by 2.1 million in August. The trend continued in September and October, with 1.1 million and 0.7 million subscribers joining the state-owned network, respectively.

This shift comes in the wake of tariff hikes by private telecom operators in June 2024. Before the increase, BSNL was losing users to competitors. However, the scenario reversed post-hike, as BSNL retained more users due to competitive pricing. Its monthly user loss figures dropped significantly, with only 310,000 users leaving in July, compared to 510,000 in October.

BSNL’s decision to maintain affordable tariffs has posed a challenge to private operators like Reliance Jio and Airtel. Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia highlighted the state-owned provider’s resurgence, describing it as a critical opportunity for growth. BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Robert Ravi confirmed that the company has no immediate plans to increase tariffs.