One-fourth of Reliance Jio’s subscribers inactive since January 2017

Key Highlights

• Only 75.50% of Jio subscribers were active in June.  
• Total number of Jio subscribers in June were 12.3 crore, as per TRAI.
• Idea Cellular had the highest proportion of active subscribers.

The number of active subscribers on Reliance Jio's network have been on the decline since its inception in September 2016. In the month of June, only 75.50% of Jio's total subscriber base were active, as per Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) data as on 30 June, 2017.

Active subscriber base is measured by TRAI by calculating date of peak VLR or Visitor Location Register.

In June, the company reported 12.3 crore total wireless subscribers, as per TRAI report. Jio's 75% active subscribers would imply over 3 crore subscribers were inactive during the month.

At most only 70-75% of Jio’s subscriber base has been active since the beginning of this year, as per TRAI data.

Image Source: TRAI and Zeebiz research

Jio’s market share was 10.39% in June. As the company bolts ahead in garnering market share in the fast moving telecom industry its share of active subscriber base is now on the decline.

The Mukesh Ambani-led company managed to pick up subscribers on the back of free data services in the first 175 days of operations. Jio started charging for its services by the end of March, 2017 and then again its services were heavily discounted.

Jio added more subscribers in June than all other telecom operators combined. Its net addition amounted to 60 lakh subscribers during the month.

Consequently the company’s active subscriber base was reported to be higher in the last few months of 2016. Jio had 95% active subscriber in the month it launched – September, 2016.

In October Jio had 93% active subscribers, November saw 84% of active Jio subscribers in the month and in December there were 79% of active Jio subscribers.

Total wireless subscriptions in June were 118.68 crore. Interestingly in June the total active wireless subscriber base was only 86.34% of the total, TRAI said.

This proportion was much higher before Jio’s launch in August 2016 at 90.45% of the total.

Image Source: Care Ratings (Inactive and active subscriber base of operators from August to May period.)

However, the telecom operator with the highest active subscriber base as per the latest TRAI estimates in June was Idea Cellular with 101.37% active subscribers. Airtel followed closely with 96.57% active subscribers and Vodafone with 93.45%.

Also Read:

• Better 4G, free calling helps Reliance Jio outpace all telecom operators in June subscriber additions
• Reliance Jio adds more subscribers in May than Airtel, BSNL, Vodafone combine
• Can Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio force rural India to do what other telecom companies couldn't?