A survey by LocalCircles reveals that call connection and drop issues remain widespread, with 89% of subscribers experiencing these issues. This issue is not limited to rural areas but is also present in big metros. The percentage of respondents experiencing problems with call connections and drop dropped from 19% in 2022 to 17% this year. However, the percentage drop for calls with 20-50% of calls increased from 37% in 2022 to 21% this year. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is reviewing existing quality of service (QoS) rules, including bringing 4G and 5G services under its ambit and setting stricter call drop parameters. The survey findings come amid consumer dissatisfaction with recent tariff hikes and raise questions about the justification for higher prices when network quality remains poor.
Despite technological advancements in mobile telecommunications and performance management tools, consumer quality of experience (QoE) has not improved as expected. Despite widespread coverage of 4G networks and 5G services, complaints of call drops, muting, and low data throughput are increasing. The regulator, Trai, has proposed tightening call drop parameters and call success rate under quality-of-service rules. The regulator stressed that the Standards of Quality of Service for Wireless Data Services were notified in the era of 2G and 3G services, and their QoS performance benchmarks were set based on the capability of underlying technology. LocalCircles plans to share the findings of the survey with the Ministry of Telecommunications and TRAI.
Reliance Jio has seen its 27th consecutive month of subscriber growth in May, with 2.2 million net subscribers and 3.5 million active subscribers added. The company's visitor location register (VLR) ratio improved to 92.1%, indicating a growing active user base. Jio's highest addition was 0.38 million in the fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) segment, driven by the aggressive rollout of JioAirFiber. Bharti Airtel saw moderate FTTH growth with 0.11 million new subscribers. The telecom sector added about 6.1 million mobile broadband (MBB) subscribers across the industry. Jio's net subscriber additions in May 2024 mark the 27th consecutive month of growth, with monthly increases ranging from 0.7 million to 4.2 million since March 2022. The company also registered significant growth in FTTH subscriptions, with a peak addition of 0.38 million subscribers in May 2024.
Telecom giant AT&T revealed a data breach affecting nearly all cellular customers and wireless providers on its network from May 1, 2022, to October 31, 2022. Stolen logs include call and text records from this period, but not the content or timing of communications. A "very small number" of customers from January 2, 2023, were also impacted. The breach, attributed to an illegal download from a third-party cloud platform, occurred alongside another data leak. The compromised data, not publicly available, excludes international calls except to Canada. This breach is separate from a previous incident involving Social Security numbers. AT&T is investigating and striving to protect customer information.
The telecom industry has provided key policy recommendations to the Ministry of Communications to support the Government's vision of digital empowerment and inclusivity in India. India has made significant progress in digital connectivity and local manufacturing, becoming the third-largest digitized country globally. The telecom infrastructure plays a vital role in providing connectivity across various devices and applications, contributing to improved living standards and economic growth.
The industry's recommendations include reducing the levy and tax burden on operators, defining gross revenue more clearly, exempting Service Tax on additional AGR liabilities, and lowering Customs Duty for the manufacturing ecosystem. Prioritizing 6 GHz spectrum for 5G deployment in India is also emphasized to save costs and advance in the 6G era. The industry urges the Government to implement provisions in the Telecommunications Act 2023 to streamline Right of Way rules, simplify licensing processes, and encourage telecom infrastructure development.
Achieving global leadership in 5G deployment and preparing for 6G communications requires collaborative efforts between the Government and industry with supportive policies. Streamlining regulations will reduce delays, improve network expansion, and enhance Ease of Doing Business in the telecom sector. This will support the industry's growth, enhance service quality, and contribute to India's overall development goals. Embracing these recommendations will ensure a sustainable ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders and advances India's position as a leading digital economy.
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