India mobile subscribers rise to more than 1 billion users

India's mobile phone subscriber base peaked to more than 1 billion users for the first time, data released by the telecom regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Wednesday showed, making India the only country after China to achieve that milestone.

Total wireless subscribers in Asia's third-largest economy rose to more than 1 billion at the end of October from 996.7 million at September-end, the data showed.

Mobile subscriptions in India have surged in recent years, helped by the launch of cheaper smartphones and record low call rates as a result of a cut throat competition among mobile phone operators to expand the customer base.

The wireless subscription in urban areas increased from 577.82 million at the end of September-2015 to 578.11 million at the end of October-2015, and wireless subscription in rural areas increased from 418.44 million to 425.38 million during the same period, TRAI said.