BSNL gains over 20 lakh customers after tariff hikes by Airtel, Jio

State-owned telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has reported a significant increase in its subscriber base in the wake of recent mobile tariff hikes by private telecom companies. Despite the introduction of new plans by these companies, consumers are finding that their overall costs have risen. This situation has created a substantial challenge for private operators such as Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, which are struggling to retain customers after raising their prices.

BSNL, as a government-owned provider, is appealing to consumers with its offerings of unlimited calls and 100 SMS messages. The company has also tailored its plans to include data allowances suited for users who primarily engage with social media platforms like WhatsApp and make only a limited number of calls each day. These long-validity plans are available at affordable prices, making them particularly attractive to users seeking budget-friendly options.

Airtel 6-month recharge-free plan: Know details, benefits, and comparison

Recent statistics reveal that BSNL is effectively capturing the lower and middle-class segments of the population, especially in rural areas. Following the tariff increases by competitors, Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea have collectively lost millions of subscribers. Notably, Airtel has experienced the largest decline among the three providers.

Since the price hikes in July, Reliance Jio has lost 750,000 subscribers, Airtel has seen a drop of 1.06 million, and Vodafone Idea has lost approximately 1.04 million subscribers. In contrast, BSNL gained an impressive 2.09 million new customers during the same period. As a result, Airtel's market share fell from 33.23% to 33.12%, while Vodafone Idea's share decreased from 18.56% to 18.46%.

Karnataka: Heavy rainfall causes network, power outages in western ghat villages; BSNL users severely affected

The increase in BSNL's popularity has been reflected on social media, where users are actively promoting the benefits of switching to BSNL. Many are sharing information about the various services BSNL offers, which has helped boost the public’s awareness of the brand. In response to this growing interest, BSNL has rolled out new offers to attract customers who are porting to its network. Additionally, the company is accelerating its 4G network deployment to enhance service quality.

In contrast, private operators like Reliance Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea have implemented tariff increases ranging from 10% to 25% since the start of July. Airtel and Jio have also placed restrictions on unlimited 5G connectivity for plans that offer 2GB of daily data, with the price of their 5G plans increasing by a staggering 46%. Airtel has raised its prices by 11%, while Vodafone Idea has implemented price hikes between 10% and 21%.

• BSNL
• Airtel
• Jio
• Tariff hike
• Subscribers
• Internet
• Plans