BSNL adds 29 lakhs of subscribers in July (Image:X/BSNL)

BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd) the state-owned telecom service provider has made a surprising comeback by gaining 2.9 million (29 lakhs) new customers in July on account of its decision to keep tariffs unchanged while private telecom operators like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea hiked their rates. This move proved to be a game-changer for BSNL which had been struggling to attract customers due to its delayed 4G rollout and network speed issues.

In June, BSNL had lost over 740,000 customers but the tables turned in July when it added 2.9 million new subscribers. Meanwhile, Jio lost 758,000 customers and Airtel suffered a massive loss of 1.69 million users along with VI losing 1.4 million users in July respectively. However, Airtel was the only private carrier to add higher-paying 4G and 5G users gained 25.6 lakh users in July.

Also, read| Airtel And Jio Announces Hike In Tariff Rates: Mobile Recharge Will Cost A Bit More Now

The tariff hikes by private telecom operators ranging from 10% to 25% have prompted customers to switch to BSNL. Its affordable plans including its Rs 108 plan offering unlimited voice calls and 1 GB daily 4G data for 28 days made it an attractive option for customers looking for budget-friendly alternatives.

Additionally,  BSNL’s 4G rollout is still in progress with plans to launch its own 4G network nationwide by mid-2025. It was in June that Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel announced tariff hikes leading to a massive mobile phone bill surge. Jio had a 12-25% increase and Airtel with 12% -20% hikes. This was based on the high investments purposed at leveraging average revenue per user (ARPU).

Since BSNL remains the same without hiking tariff rates, Reliance Jio increased its monthly recharge plan, from Rs 155 to  Rs 189. While the most used Rs 239 monthly plan with  1.5 GB data per day is increased to Rs 299 with almost a 25% increase. The yearly package surged from Rs 2,999 to Rs 3,599 with the highest rate surge in an annual package.

Also, read| Reliance Jio Introduces New 5G Booster Plans Starting At Rs 51: Details