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Our Bureau

New Delhi, April 25 India has become second largest wireless network in the world after China by overtaking the US.

The total wireless subscribers (includes GSM, CDMA and WLL) base stood at 261.09 million at the end of March 2008. A total of 10.16 million wireless subscribers have been added in March against 8.53 million in February 2008, according to the telecom regulator.

Overall a total 10.40 million telephone connections (wireline and wireless) have been added during the month against 8.49 million in February.

With this the total number of telephone connections has reached 300.51 million. The overall tele-density is 26.22 per cent.

In the wireline segment, the subscriber base has increased to 39.42 million against 39.18 million. This is the first time in over a year when the fixed line numbers have increased on a month-on-month basis.

The Government has fixed a target of 500 million telephone users by 2010.

Commenting on the development, Mr A. Raja, Communication and IT Minister, said, “In recent years, India has come to be seen as one of the most exciting growth opportunities in mobile services. When mobile services were first introduced in 1995, the country’s tele-density was an abysmal 0.8 per hundred persons. The last quarter of 2007 saw India top the global charts in respect of net mobile subscriber additions. As a result of this tremendous growth, I am pleased to note that most recently India has become the second largest wireless market in the world.”

He said that despite the growth nearly 70 per cent of Indian citizens are yet to experience the benefits of connectivity.

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India becomes 2nd largest mobile market in the world

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