Introduction:
Globally, India is the second largest telecommunications market with around 1.2 million users. As late as the late 1990s, the telecoms sector was more or less owned only by large national operators. With an average data usage of 9.8 GB per month, it has the Top 10 Mobile Network Operators in India largest percentage of smartphone data usage, which is higher than the rest of the world.
Due to this rapid development of the telecom industry over the decade, top telecom companies in India are fiercely competing to gain more market share and retain their existing customer base. Cables, wires, waves, and even wireless telecommunications have powered global communications.
List Of Top 10 Mobile Network Operators in India:
Table of Contents
MTNL:
MTNL is one of the top 10 mobile network operators in India. It was founded on April 1, 1986 by the Government of India with the aim of improving the quality of telecommunications services, expanding the telecommunications network, introducing new services and raising revenue for the development of telecommunications in major Indian metropolises such as Delhi & Bombay.
MTNL offers services in the metropolitan areas of Mumbai and New Delhi in India and on the island of Mauritius in Africa. MTNL is the leading provider of fixed line telecommunications services in the two metropolitan areas of Delhi and Mumbai.
MTNL received Navratna status in 1997 and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2001. It is one of the state telecom operators in India. It provides cellphone service in the city of Delhi including the four suburban cities of Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad & Ghaziabad and the city of Mumbai, including the areas of Mumbai Municipal Corporation, New Mumbai Corporation and Thane Municipal Corporation.
MTNL currently offers a range of telecommunications services including landline, GSM (including 3G services) and GSM (including 3G services). Mobile CDMA, Internet, Broadband, ISDN and Leased Line MTNL excel in offering the latest telecommunications services to its customers at the most affordable prices.
MTNL was the first company to use some of the latest telecom technologies such as ADSL2+ & VDSL2 Broadband, IPTV in MPEG4, VOIP and 3G Mobile. Moreover it is one of the top mobile network operators in India.
- Address: 5th Floor, Mahanagar Doorsanchar Sadan, 9, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi. 110003
- Company website: https://www.ucc-mtnl.in/
- Contact: 01122221507
BSNL:
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is one of the top mobile network operators in India. It is a telecommunications company owned by the Government of India’s Ministry of Communications. It is a corporation firm established in 2000 and based in New Delhi.
It is a leading GSM network provider with CellOne and BSNL brands across India. It has wide network coverage in urban and rural areas of India. It has more than 121.82 million customers in India.
The network provides prepaid, postpaid and value-added services such as Freephone Service (FPH), India Calling Card (Prepaid Card), Call by Account Card (ACC), Virtual Private Network (VPN), Telephone Voting and Extended Charges (PRM).
BSNL is the fourth largest internet service provider in India with a nationwide presence. It also has the largest fiber optic telecommunications network in the country, some 7.5 lakh kilometers, among four operators in the country. As of June 2021, BSNL’s combined market share is 10.25% in wireless and cable networks.
BSNL has started out 4G service to parts of India such as Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh since January 2019 but is limited to a few cities. Most 4G services are currently available in South India. Moreover it is one of the top mobile network operators in India.
- Company website: https://www.bsnl.co.in/
- Address: Harish Chandra Mathur Lane Janpath, New Delhi-110 001
- Contact no: 1500/1800-345-1500
MTS:
Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) India, also known as Sistema ShyamTeleServices, is one of the top mobile network operators in India. It is a Russian company Mobile TeleSystems subsidiary, headquartered in New Delhi.
It was a joint venture and Indian subsidiary of Russian mobile operator MTS. founded in 2008 by Dmitry Shukov, MTS India provides broadband internet, wireless voice, and messaging and data services to 9 nodes in India.
With a user base of around 9 million subscribers, it mostly dominates in the metropolitan areas of India. MTS India was acquired by Reliance Communications (RCom) on 14 January 2016 in an all stock deal whereby SSTL received a 10% stake in RCom. Overall it is one of the top mobile network operators in India.
- Company website: https://www.mts.com/en
- Address: Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited MTS tower, 3, Amrapali Circle, Vaishali Nagar Jaipur-302021 Rajasthan
- Contact: 9134-955-955
AIRCEL:
Aircel is one of the top mobile network operators in India. It was another telecom provider that failed to withstand the fierce competition in the market. It was an Indian mobile network operator based in Mumbai, offering 2G and 3G voice and data services.
At the helm it was mainly dominant in South and parts of East India with a large clientele thanks to an uncrowded network at very low rates and excellent customer service.
It was the main shirt sponsor of Indian Premier League cricket team Chennai Super Kings and I-League football team Shillong Lajong FC. Aircel has also been the title sponsor of Atlético de Kolkata FC which plays in the Indian Super League football competition.
Currently gone bankrupt in a 2015 survey conducted by Mint and Insta Vaani in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Kolkata, Aircel proved to offer the best service among telecom providers in their respective cities. However it was one of the top mobile network operators in India.
- Company website: https://www.aircel.com/
- Address: Aircel Limited, Opus Centre, 47, Central Road, Opp. Tunga Paradise, MIDC, Andheri (E) Mumbai City – 400093
- Contact: +91-124-4765000
TATA DOCOMO:
Tata docomo it was one of the top mobile network operators in India. It was one of Tata Teleservices’ subsidiaries in a merger with NTT Docomo in Japan. While it provided fair coverage in cheap cities, but it failed in suburbs.
It was established in November 2008 and acquired by Bharti Airtel in October 2017. On November 5, 2010, Tata Docomo became the first private telecom company to launch 3G services in India.
Tata Docomo had around 49 million users at the end of March 2017.Mobile communications companies Tata Docomo, Tata Teleservices (TTSL) and Tata Teleservices Maharashtra Limited (TTML) have merged with Bharti Airtel effective July 1, 2019. Overall it was one of the top mobile network operators in India.
- Company website: https://www.tatadocomo.com/
- Address: Tata Teleservices Ltd. 2A, Old Ishwar Nagar, Main Mathura Road, New Delhi-110065
- Contact: 011 6655 2230
RELIANCE JIO:
Reliance jio is one of the top 10 mobile network operators in India. Considered by many to be the largest startup in the world with an investment of 1.5billion, Reliance Jio is also among the top telecommunications in India. It operates a nationwide LTE network that covers all 22 Telekom loops.
Jio offers 4G and 4G+ service across India and 5G service in many cities. Work is underway on 6G service. It is solely responsible for the telecom revolution in India by offering free voice calls, no roaming fees and a range of popular apps like JioTV, JioSaavn and JioCinema with no subscription fees.
In August 2018, Jio began testing a new triple-play home fiber service, tentatively known as Jio GigaFiber, covering 100 to 1000 Mbps broadband, TV and phone services. It is the largest mobile network operator in India and the third largest mobile network operator in the world with over 42.62 million subscribers.
On October 5, 2022, it launched 5G services in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, Varanasi, Siliguri, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Nagpur. No wonder it is one of the top mobile network operators in India.
- Company website: https://www.jio.com/
- Address: Reliance Corporate Park, Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra , India
- Contact no: 1800-896-9999
HFCL:
Himachal Futuristic Communication Ltd is one of the top 10 mobile network operators in India. It is an Indian telecommunications company established in 1987. It operates through various manufacturing, research and production segments Development and turnkey solutions.
The company is one of the largest telecom engineering service providers for Reliance Jio and is currently deploying 4G fiber optic network services in North India. The company specializes in manufacturing technologically advanced telecommunications equipment, fiber optic cables and telecommunications projects.
The company serves various industries such as telecommunications, security and railways, textiles and fiber optic cables. The company is based in Himachal Pradesh, India. The company is one of the leading telecommunications companies in India. HFCL through its subsidiary HTL Limited is one of the largest FTTH cable manufacturers in India with a capacity of 6,000km per year.
The company also provides professional engineering services, including installation and commissioning services for optical transmission network development. It has offices across the country including manufacturing facilities in Solan, Chennai and Goa. No wonder it is one of the top mobile network operators in India.
- Company website: https://www.hfcl.com/
- Address: 8, Commercial Complex, Masjid Moth, Greater Kailash II, New Delhi-110048, India
- Contact no: +91-11-35209400/9500
BHARTI AIRTEL:
Bharti Airtel Limited is one of the top 10 mobile network operators in India. It is an Indian multinational telecommunications company headquartered in New Delhi. It operates in 18 countries in South Asia and Africa and the Channel Islands. It was founded on July 7, 1995 by Sunil Bharti Mittal.
Its head office is located at Nelson Mandela Road, New Delhi, India. Airtel is also known for offering various services like landline, mobile, broadband, satellite TV, payment banking, digital TV, Internet TV and IPTV. Airtel has also implemented VoLTE technology in all Indian telecom circuits.
Airtel Business mainly consists of six products: Cloud & Managed Services, Digital Signage, NLD/ILD Connectivity, Wi-Fi Dongles, Voice Solutions and Conferencing Solutions, serving industries such as BFSI, IT/ITeS, Manufacturing, Hospitality and Government. The turnover in 2021 is INR 101,258 crore.
Airtel was named the second most valuable brand in India in the inaugural Brandz ranking by Millward Brown and WPP plc. Airtel is known for providing 2G, 3G, 4G LTE and 4G+ services.
According to TRAI reports, Airtel has a 31.56% market share in the telecom sector. In the last year it has gained around 710,000 new users. That’s why it is one of the top mobile network operators in India.
- Company website: https://www.airtel.in/
- Address: Airtel Center, Plot No. 16, Udyog Vihar, Phase-IV, Gurugram Gurgaon HR
- Contact: +91-124-4222222
VODAFONE:
Vodafone Idea Limited, also known as VI, is one of the top mobile network operators in India. It is a British multinational telecommunications company. Corporate and global headquarters are located in Newbury, Berkshire, England. Joint venture between Idea and Vodafone.
It was formed in 2018 when two major telecom companies decided to merge their respective companies based in Mumbai and Gandhinagar. As of January 2023, Vodafone owns and operates networks in 21 countries with partner networks in a further 47 countries.
The telecommunications company trades in products such as mobile telephony, wireless broadband and internet services. However, as of October 31, 2021, the company has seen strong growth.
On August 31, 2018, Vodafone Idea became a legal entity and the market share of India’s largest telecom operator VI is 23.15% of the total market share of telecom companies in India. Moreover it is one of the top mobile network operators in India.
- Company website: https://www.myvi.in/
- Contact no: +914027764777
- Address: cfec2s, 6th Floor, Varun Towers 2, Begumpet, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500016
INDUS TOWERS:
In India, Indus Towers is one of the top mobile network operators in India. It is an Indian telecommunications company that provides passive infrastructure services to telecom operators and other mobile operators such as broadband providers. It has more than 38,500 towers spread over 11 circles.
Indus Towers is India’s largest cell tower installer. In India, 3 out of 5 calls go through the Indus. The company is one of the leading telecommunications companies in India. Fundoodata’s paid plans give you access to more business insights like head count, revenue, decision maker details and more.
On April 25, 2018, Bharti Infratel and Vodafone Group released a joint statement announcing the merger of Bharti Infratel and Indus Towers to create the second largest telecommunications company in the world. Overall it is one of the top mobile network operators in India
- Company website: https://www.industowers.com/
- Address: Building No. 10 Tower-A, 4th Floor, DLF Cyber City Gurugram 122 002 (Haryana)
- Contact no: 1800 102 1666.
Mobile Network Operators in India With their Website:
| S.No | Mobile Network | Website |
| 1 | MTNL | https://www.ucc-mtnl.in/ |
| 2 | BSNL | https://www.bsnl.co.in/ |
| 3 | MTS | https://www.mts.com/en |
| 4 | AIRCEL | https://www.aircel.com/ |
| 5 | TATA DOCOMO | https://www.tatadocomo.com/ |
| 6 | JIO | https://www.jio.com/ |
| 7 | HFCL | https://www.hfcl.com/ |
| 8 | AIRTEL | https://www.airtel.in/about-bharti/about-bharti-airtel/ |
| 9 | VODAFONE | https://www.myvi.in/ |
| 10 | INDUS TOWERS | https://www.industowers.com/ |
FAQs about Top 10 Mobile Network Operators in India:
Which is the No 1 mobile network in the world?
China Mobile Communications Corporation
Which is faster mobile data?
LTE vs 4G speeds
Who is No 1 brand in mobile?
Which SIM is most used in India?
- Jio
- Airtel
- Vi
Which SIM company is best in world?
- GigSky 4G LTE/3G Data SIM Card.
- Orange Holiday Europe.
- OneSimCard Travel.
Which network has highest speed?
LAN
Which 4G network is fastest?
Reliance jio
Which country internet is very fast?
Norway, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Qatar.
Which network operator is best in India?
Jio reigns supreme on Excellent and Core Consistent Quality
Jio’s score of 62.5% is eight percentage points ahead of second-placed Airtel’s 54.5%. Jio also wins the Core Consistent Quality award with 85.9% — a lead of 8.8 percentage points over the closest rival, Airtel.
Why are mobile network operators important?
Wireless service providers or Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) aim to provide a service delivery model that comprises of the complete infrastructure a user requires to obtain a wireless service. In the US, the MNOs also provide the user device—the mobile phone or the data card (GPRS/EV-DO).
Which is the largest network operator in India?
Reliance Jio. Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, Jio, is an Indian telecommunications services company wholly owned by Reliance Industries and headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, it operates a national LTE network with coverage across all 22 telecom circles.
Conclusion:
As for the conclusion these are some of the Top 10 Mobile Network Operators in India. These network operators provide fastest internet and best quality services. Each network has millions of subscribers.
