India is set to become the second-largest mobile network in the world after China in April 2008. India crossed the 250 million mobile subscribers mark by adding 8.53 million mobile subscribers in February of this year. The total number of telephone user base stood at 290.11 million at the end of February 2008, taking the overall teledensity to 25.31 per cent.

US has around 256 million mobile subscribers while China's wireless subscriber base is over 565 million. India's monthly mobile subscriber addition rate of over 8 million a month is the highest in the world.

Here is an update on other important topics concerning India's mobile services.

Virgin Mobile makes a backdor entry into India



Virgin Mobile launched its services in India this month through a franchise arrangement with India's second-largest CDMA operator Tata Teleservices. Virgin Mobile will be initially launched in 50 cities, growing to over 1,000 cities in a year's time. The service aims to acquire 5 million subscribers over the next three years, during which period it also targets to become profitable.

Technically, Virgin has not entered India as a "Mobile Virtual Network Operator" because Indian law does not permit MVNOs. But the GSM operators body, COAI, did launch a complaint against the service to the telecom authority, which was turned down.

"The estimated population in India of people between 15 and 30 years is 400 million, almost six times the whole of the UK population; and these numbers promise to be a lot of fun," Sir Richard Branson said.

Mr Jamie Heywood, deputy CEO, Virgin Mobile India, said there were 215 million Indians aged 14-25 and over the next three years there would be 50 million additionally. In all, revenues from this segment would then be over Rs35,000 crore, he said.

Mobile Number Portability plan delayed
India's Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had originally set December 2008 as the deadline for a limited introduction of mobile number portability in the metro circles of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. This deadline has now been extended to April 2009, but will also include the category A circles of Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

Within six months of introducing number portability in these areas, the Government plans to introduce the scheme to category B and C circles such as Bihar, Assam, Haryana and Kerala. [Source: livemint]

Launch date of 3G services still unclear
The Indian Government is still mulling the auction of the 3G spectrum and whether it should allow bids from new entities other then existing 2G operators.

Bharti Airtel chief Sunil Mittal quoted on the topic [Source: Economic Times]

"Indian consumers are completely ready for 3G services. The services are ready, the price point is there, but somehow the Government is unnecessarily delaying it. I hope India puts the 3G spectrum on auction soon. We are already two years late, we cannot afford to delay it more."

I think if we delay it a little longer, India can leapfrog 3G to be among the first ones to launch 4G services!