Page 13 - CIOs Edition June 2021

TELECOM

With a subscriber base of 1.16 billion approx, India is the world's second-

largest telecommunications market. This rapid growth in this sector can
be attributed to strong consumer demand in the last decade as also the

liberal and reformist policies of the government. While the total number

of internet subscribers increased to 757.61 million in January 2021, the
total wireless or mobile telephone subscriber base increased to 1,163.41

million during the same period.

Besides the conducive regulatory environment and evolving

consumption patterns, the other factors that led to this exponential
growth in the last few years are relatively affordable tariffs, wider

availability of services, roll-out of Mobile Number Portability (MNP), and

expansion of 3G and 4G coverage. It is forecasted that rise in mobile
phone penetration and reduction in data costs over the next five years

will add 500 million new mobile/internet users in India, thus paving the

way for new businesses.

June 2021