India becomes world's second largest mobile market

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(Economic Times via NewsEdge) India has crossed the 250 million mark with the addition of 8.53 million mobile phone subscribers in February.

With this, India is set to become the second largest wireless network in the world after China in the first half of April 2008.

According to telecom regulator Trai, a total of 8.49 million telephone connections were added during February as compared to 8.74 million connections in January 2008.

The total number of telephone connections hit 290.11 million at the end of February 2008 as compared to 281.62 million in January 2008, taking the overall teledensity to 25.31 per cent at the end of February 2008 as against 24.63 per cent in January 2008.

In the wireless segment, 8.53 million subscribers were added in February 2008 as against 8.77 million subscribers added in the month of January 2008.
The total wireless subscribers base stood at 250.93 million at the end of February 2008.

The US currently has 256 million subscribers and adds about two to three million subscribers every month while China adds around six to seven million subscribers a month.

India's monthly wireless subscriber addition of 8 million to 9 million a month is the highest.

With this performance, India will surpass US in terms of wireless subscribers during the first half of April to become the second largest wireless network in the world. India's total subscriber base will also cross the 300 million mark in April, analysts said.

© 2008 The Economic Times

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