Mobile broadband user base inches up to 839 million

Kolkata & New Delhi: India’s mobile broadband (MBB) user base grew at a modest 7.2% in the last one year to 839 million though the pace of additions accelerated from August fuelled by greater adoption of Reliance Jio’s affordable internet-enabled 4G phone.

The scenario underlines the challenges for telcos to entice featurephone users to upgrade to pricier plans that offer higher margins. Industry executives and analysts are, however, optimistic that the growth in 4G subscriptions will continue during the festive season and the rest of the financial year thanks to stable tariffs and fall in 4G handset prices.