iWorld
Jio juggernaut continued to add as Vodafone shed subs in Aug-18
BENGALURU: MukeshDhirubhai Ambani’s largest startup in the world in the form of Reliance JioInfocomm Limited, or simply Jio, continued adding subscribers in the month of August 2018 (Aug-18, month under review) according to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) Telecom subscription data. According to the available Trai data for Aug-18, Jio’s subscriber base had been growing at about 5 percent compounded rate month on month (m-o-m) in calendar year 2018. Aug-18 was no different. Jio’s subscriber base grew by 5.7 percent (5.2 percent in Jul-81) to 2,393.53lakh in Aug-18 from 2,270.50 lakh in Jul-18. Since December 31, 2017, Jiohad added 791.40 lakh subscribers until Aug-18– it grew 49.4 percent in the period.
In the meantime, Vodafone lost 125.4 lakh (12.5 million, 1.25 crore) subscribers (20 percent) in Aug-18 as compared to Jul-18. Vodafone had a subscriber base of 637.90 lakh in Jul-18, while in Aug-18 the company had 512.5 lakh subscribers according to Trai data. The Vodafone India and Idea Cellular combine had to forego about 140 lakh (14 million, 1.4 crore) subscribers in six circles and revenues of more than Rs2,000 crore in three circles as the merged Vodafone and Idea Cellular entity would breach the Department of Telecommunications (DoT)-prescribed 50 percent cap on subscribers and revenue in the respective States.
Trai data for Aug-18 says thatas per the reports received from 296 operators, the number of broadband subscribers increased from 4,602.4 lakh (460.24 million, 46.042 crore) at the end of Jul-18 to 4,636.6 lakh (463.66 million, 46.366 crore) at the end of Aug-18 with a monthly growth rate of 0.74 percent. Subscriber numbers for all the three broadband services segments – wireline or wired; mobile devices comprising of phones and dongles; and fixed wireless (Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, Point-to- Point Radio & VSAT) grew in Aug-18. Please refer to the figure below:
The top five service providers constituted 97.80 percent market share of the total broadband subscribers at the end of Aug-18. These service providers were Jio( 2,392.3lakh, 239.23 million23.923 crore), Bharti Airtel or Airtel (983.6 lakh, 98.36 million, 9.836 crore), Vodafone (512.5 lakh, 51.25 million, 5.125 crore), Idea Cellular (442.4 lakh, 44.24million, 4.424 crore) and BSNL (203.5lakh, 20.35 million, 2.035 crore).
Wireless broadband internet
Wireless broadband subscribers growth in absolute numbers was led by Jio, followed byAirtel, Idea Cellular and the public sector BSNL. Vodafone was the only player among the top 5 wireless broadband internet services providers that lost subscribers in Aug-18.
As on 31Aug, 2018, the top five wireless broadband service providers were Jio (2,392.30 lakh, 239.23 million, 23.923 crore), Bharti Airtel (961.2 lakh, 96.12 million, 9.612 crore), Vodafone (512.5 lakh, 51.25 million, 5.125 crore), Idea Cellular (442.4 lakh, 44.24million, 4.424 crore) and BSNL (111.90 lakh, 11.19 million, 1.119 crore). Please refer to the figure below:
Wired broadband internet
Wired broadband internet subscribers grew by 70,000 in Aug-18 as compared to Jul-18 with four of the top 5 Wireline broadband services providers showing growth while one, Mahanagar Telcom Nigam Limited (MTNL) showing a decline in subscribers by 20,000. The top 5 wired broadband service providers added 50,000 subscribers during the month under review, 20,000 subscribers were added by other service providers.
As on 31 August, 2018, the top five wired broadband serviceproviders were BSNL (91.6 lakh, 9.16million, 0.916 crore), Bharti Airtel (22.4 lakh, 2.24 million, 0.224 crore), Atria Convergence Technologies (13.6 lakh, 1.36 million, 0.13 crore), MTNL (8.10 lakh, 0.81 million, 0.081 crore) and Hathway Cable & Datacom (7.6 lakh, 0.76 million, 0.076 crore).
Airtel added the highest number of wireline broadband subscribers in calendar year 2018 until Aug-18 with 90,000, followed by Atria Convergence Technologies (ACT) which added 80,000 subs during the period.
Please refer to the figure below:
iWorld
Micro-Dramas Surge in India, Redefining Mobile Content Habits
Meta-Ormax study maps rapid rise of short-form storytelling among 18–44 audiences.
MUMBAI: Micro-dramas aren’t just short, they’re the snack that ate Indian entertainment, and now everyone’s bingeing between the sofa cushions. Meta, in partnership with Ormax Media, has released ‘Micro Dramas: The India Story’, a comprehensive study unveiled at the inaugural Meta Marketing Summit: Micro-Drama Edition. The report maps how the vertical, bite-sized format is reshaping content consumption for mobile-first audiences aged 18–44 across 14 states.
Conducted between November 2025 and January 2026 through 50 in-depth interviews and 2,000 personal surveys, the research reveals that 65 per cent of viewers discovered micro-dramas within the last year proof of explosive adoption. Nearly 89 per cent encounter the format through social feeds and recommendations, making algorithm-driven discovery the primary engine rather than active search.
Key viewing patterns show a median of 3.5 hours per week (about 30 minutes daily) spread across 7–8 short sessions. Consumption peaks between 8 pm and midnight, with additional spikes during commutes and work breaks classic “in-between moments” that the format fills perfectly. Around 57 per cent of viewing happens in ambient mode (while doing something else), and 90 per cent is solo, enabling more intimate, personal storytelling.
Romance, family drama and comedy lead genre preferences. Audiences show growing openness to AI-generated content, 47 per cent find it unique and creative, while only 6 per cent say they would avoid it entirely. Regional languages are surging after Hindi and English, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada dominate consumption.
Meta, director, media & entertainment (India) Shweta Bajpai said, “Micro-drama isn’t a passing trend, it’s rewriting the rules of Indian entertainment. In under a year, an entirely new category of platforms has emerged, built audience habits from scratch, and created a business vertical that is scaling fast.”
Ormax Media founder-CEO Shailesh Kapoor added, “Micro-dramas are beginning to show the early signs of becoming a distinct content category in India’s digital entertainment landscape. When a format aligns closely with how audiences naturally engage with their devices, it has the potential to scale very quickly.”
The study proposes ecosystem-wide responsibility, universal signposting of commercial intent, shared accountability among advertisers, platforms, creators, schools and parents, built-in safeguards, and formal media literacy in schools.
In a feed that never sleeps and a day that never stops, micro-dramas have slipped into the cracks of every spare minute turning 30-second stories into the new national pastime, one vertical swipe at a time.
