Airtel Lost Upto 30 Lakh Customers Due To Network Shutdown In J&K

According to a report by ICICI Securities, the network shutdown in Jammu and Kashmir impacted the subscriber base of telecom companies in the September-ended quarter. In this period while Vodafone Idea too lost subscribers, Bharti Airtel lost up to 30 lakh customers.

"Bharti Airtel lost about 25-30 lakh customers due to network shutdown in Jammu and Kashmir, which would return on reported base post resumption of services there. On a like to like basis, the net sub addition was zero," the bokerage's report said.

The report further said that Vodafone Idea continued to lose subscribers with a net loss of 89 lakh customers during the quarter and the resultant overall subscriber base at 32 crore.

"We note that this is the fifth consecutive quarter of subscriber base decline given the integration-led challenges and Jammu and Kashmir impact," the report said

Bharti Airtel's end of period (EoP) subscriber base was at 27.94 crore with reported net subscriber addition of 26 lakh subscribers on a quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) basis aided by the consolidation of 65 lakh Tata Teleservices Ltd (TTSL) subscribers in its reported subscriber base during the June-September quarter, ICICI Securities said.

In the Rajya Sabha last week, answering questions over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Internet services would resume in the newly reorganised union territory (UT) on the recommendations of the local administration.