News Broadcasting
Broadband internet subs growth higher in May-18 than previous month
BENGALURU: India witnessed 2.91 percent growth in broadband internet customers in the month of May 2018 (May-18, month under review) according Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) data for the month ended 31 May 2018. Hence, 122.10 lakh (122.10 million, 1.221 crore) broadband subscribers were added in May-18. Comparatively, in April 2018, broadband internet customers grew 1.74 percent (71.90 lakh, 7.19 million, 0.719 crore) vis-a-vis the previous month.
The smallest segment among broadband internet services providers – the Fixed wireless- WiFi, Wi Max, Point to Point, Radio, Vsat segment, lost about 10,000 subscribers – the segment’s subscriber base fell from 4.2 lakh (0.42 million or 0.042 crore) to 4.1 lakh (0.41 million or 0.041 crore) during the month. The wired broadband internet subscriber base dropped by 30,000 to 179.40 lakh (17.94 million, 1.794 crore) in May-18 from 179.70 lakh (17.97 million, 1.797 crore) in the previous month.
A major portion-100.25 percent (122.40 lakh or 12.24 million or 1.224 crore) of the new users opted for wireless broadband internet through mobile devices and dongles in May-18. The mobile devices and dongles segment grew 3.05 percent in the month. It may be noted that TRAI considers download speeds equal to or in excess of 512 kbps as broadband internet. Also, TRAI subscriber numbers data is published in millions with two decimal places, hence the accuracy of this report is limited to the nearest 10,000 (Ten Thousand).
As on 31 May 2018, the top five broadband internet service providers were Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd orJio with 2055.4 lakh (205.54 million, 20.554 crore), Bharti Airtel or Airtel with 959.1 lakh (95.91 million, 9.591 crore), Vodafone with 614.2 lakh (61.42 million, 6.142 crore), Idea Cellular with 420.7 lakh (42.07 million, 4.207 crore) and BSNL with 207.5 lakh (20.57 million, 2.075 crore) subscribers respectively. The top five service providers constituted 97.54 percent market share of the total broadband subscribers at the end of May-18.
Wireless Internet
As on 31 May, 2018, the top five Wireless Broadband Service providers were Jio with 2055.4 lakh (205.54 million, 20.554 crore), Bharti Airtel with 894 lakh (89.40 million, 8,94 crore), Vodafone with 614.2 (61.42 million, 6.142 crore), Idea Cellular with 420.7 lakh (42.07 million, 42.07 crore) and BSNL with 115.6 lakh (11.56 million, 1.156 crore) subscribers each.
Jio showed the largest growth in terms of absolute numbers across all segments. Jio’s subscribers have grown by 28.39 percent in calendar year 2018 (CY 2018) since 31 December 2017 (or 1 January 2018, Dec-17). Its subscriber base has grown from 1,600.9 lakh (160.09 million, 16.009 crore) as on 1 January 2017 to 2,055.4 lakh (205.54 million or 20.554 crore) on 31 March 2018. Jio grew by 94.21 lakh (9.421 million, 0.9421 crore) in May 2018. At present, Jio provides only wireless broadband internet services through mobile devices including phones and dongles. The highest growth rate in CY 2018 until May 2018 was also by Jio at 28.39 percent. Further Jio led subscriber growth in May-18 with respect to Apr-18 with 4.80 percent growth. Idea lost 3.30 lakh subscribers (0.78 percent drop) in May-18. BSNL has also being losing subscribers on a regular basis. Please refer to the figure below
Wired Internet
Though growth of the wired internet subscribers until May-18 has been led by Hathway Cable & Datacom Limited (Hathway), TRAI data shows that the company did not add any significant numbers in May-18. Its subscriber base for Apr-18 and May-18 was the same as per TRAI data. The company added about 60,000 (grew by 8.22 percent) subscribers in CY 2018 until May-18 and its subscriber base grew to 7.9 lakh (0.79 million, 0.079 crore) from 7.3 lakh (0.73 million, 0.073 crore) at the beginning of CY 2018.
In May-18, the top five Wired Broadband Service providers were BSNL with 91.9 lakh (9.19 million, 0.919 crore), Bharti Airtel with 22 lakh (2.2 million, 0.22 crore), Atria Convergence Technologies or ACT with 13.2 lakh (1.32 million, 0.132 crore), MTNL 8.5 lakh (0.85 million, 0.085 crore and Hathway with 7.9 lakh (0.79 million, 0.079 crore) subscribers respectively. The government’s BSNL and MTNL have in general being losing subscribers. Please refer to the figure below.
Other broadband internet service providers
MSOs and (LCOs) or cable video service providers also provide wired broadband internet services in the country. These cable service providers have a number of subsidiaries and alliances, hence broadband numbers are split as applicable. The consolidated subscription numbers of these entities could be larger than the numbers of some of the wired internet services providers mentioned above. However, in general, quarterly results of the major MSOs’ until the quarter ended 31 March 2018 (Q4 2018) indicate that their wired broadband subscription addition efforts have been far below par, some have even had a drop in subscriber numbers.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
