Firms add 4.9-m new GSM users in Feb

MUMBAI: Indian GSM carriers added about 4.9 million new users in February, taking their total user base to 115.3 million, a telecoms industry body said.

The Cellular Operators' Association of India, which represents nine carriers offering wireless services based on the widely prevalent GSM platform, said 4.88 million users signed up in February, compared with a revised 4.99 million in January.

The mobile user base of Bharti Airtel Ltd., India's top provider of such services, rose to 35.4 million after it added 1.7 million customers.

Second-ranked GSM firm state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. added just over 1 million new customers, taking its user base to 25.4 million.

Hutchison Essar Ltd. added 928,821 customers, lifting its user base to 25.3 million.