New Delhi, Nov 21 (UNI) Reliance Jio lost as many as 79.69 lakh wireless subscribers in the month of September 2024 while state-owned BSNL gained 8.49 lakh users during this period, as per data released by Ministry of Communications on Thursday.

BSNL was the sole telecom operator which added wireless subscribers in the month of September this year.

Official data showed Bharti Airtel lost 14.34 lakh users while Vodafone Idea lost 15.53 lakh users in the month of September. The three private telecom operators Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea together lost over 1 crore wireless subscribers during this period.

As on 30th September, 2024, the private access service providers held 91.85% market share of the wireless subscribers whereas BSNL and MTNL, the two PSU access service providers, had a market share of only 8.15%.

Total wireless subscribers decreased from 1,163.83 million at the end of August 2024, to 1,153.72 million at the end of September 2024, thereby registering a monthly decline rate of 0.87%.

Wireless subscription in urban areas decreased from 633.21 million at the end of August 2024 to 628.12 million at the end of September 2024, and wireless subscription in rural areas also decreased from 530.63 million to 525.60 million during the same period.

"Monthly decline rate of urban and rural wireless subscription was 0.80% and 0.95% respectively," Ministry of Communications said.

In the month of September, 2024, 13.32 million subscribers submitted their requests for Mobile Number Portability (MNP).

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