Strict policies implemented for new connections to control SIM frauds and phishing technologies have resulted in a decline in multiple connections
According to a report published by a national newspaper, the number of telecom subscribers dropped by 42 lakh connections owing to a tightening of rules. According to the latest telecom subscription report by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), mobile connections plummeted from a high of 7.03 crore subscribers in July 2021 to 6.63 crore in June this year.
The introduction of 5G technology played a key role here. “With only two players launching 5G in Gujarat as yet, there is a significant increase in the number of porting
requests from one telecom operator to another. Customers who had a 5G-enabled handset attempted to port their numbers,” an industry source told the daily.
The report added that 5G technology was rolled out in November 2022 in Gujarat.
The state lost approximately 1 lakh mobile subscribers from December 2022 to June 2023.
“Since the 5G launch, there has been a sharp increase in the number of porting requests. This made economic sense because 5G technology was available at the same cost,” a telecom industry stakeholder told the newspaper.
A policy change, the industry player said, was the key to the reduction of subscribers: “When there was a semiconductor shortage and a SIM shortage, many telecom players decided to deactivate unused mobile numbers within 90 days. This was further brought down to 30 days by many players.”
