The large chunk of telecom subscribers are in the mobile phone category with the customer base growing by 3.7 crore (37 million) to touch 9 crore (90 million), according to the figures released by telecom regulator TRAI.
The total subscriber base of fixed line phones stood at 4.9 crore (49 million) by the end of 2005-06.
In March this year only three lakh people opted for a fixed line phones. During 2005-06 teledensity has grown to 12.73 per cent.
The addition in number of mobile subscribers has taken off after November 2005. During the month 35.1 lakh subscribers were added.
In March 2006 the number of new customers added to the mobile subscriber base touched 50.3 lakh.
In all 3.77 crore (37.7 million) mobile subscribers were added during 2005-06 as compared to 1.85 crore (18.5 million) in 2004-05 and 2.03 crore (20.3 million) in 2003-04.
Mobile operators using GSM technology continue to lead in terms of net customer additions. While 31.7 lakh subscribers were added by GSM mobile operators in March 2006, CDMA operators added 11.1 lakh new customers.
By the end of the fiscal, the number of broadband subscribers have gone up to 13.10 lakh as against the broadband policy target of 30 lakh by December 2005.