The number of mobile phone subscribers in India exceeded that of fixed-line users by October 2004, according Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. At the end of October 2004, the mobile phone user base swelled to 44.51 mln, compared to 43.96 mln fixed-line users.
Around 1.7 mln phone subscribers were added in October, taking the total number of new additions in the first seven months of fiscal 2004-05 to over 12 mln. In the mobile segment, 1.53 mln subscribers were added during October. During the first seven months of 2004, approximately 11 mln mobile subscribers were added, making it a total of 44.51 mln mobile users by Oct 31. In the fixed-line segment, a total of 160,000 subscribers were added during October, taking the total user base to 43.96 mln.