Rising Telecom Prices Spark Boycott Calls, but Do Consumers Have a Real Choice?

Harshita Rai
GG News Bureau
Varanasi, 17th July. In recent weeks, India’s top three telecom giants—Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone-Idea (Vi)—have hiked their mobile recharge plans, triggering a boycott movement on social media. The #BoycottJioAirtelVi campaign has gained traction online, but its impact seems limited to the digital sphere. Given the state of the only significant alternative, the state-run BSNL, consumers are left with few viable options.

BSNL’s 4G connectivity is still not available nationwide, and its network quality remains a concern. Amidst this backdrop, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released its May 2024 report, painting a clear picture of the current telecom landscape before the price hikes.

The TRAI report highlights that Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio remains the market leader, closely followed by Bharti Airtel. Meanwhile, Vodafone-Idea continues to struggle, losing ground to its competitors. In May alone, Jio added approximately 2.2 million new subscribers, many of whom migrated from BSNL and Vi, marking a month-on-month growth of 0.46%. Airtel, Jio’s closest competitor, gained 1.25 million new customers, reflecting a 0.32% growth.

On the other hand, Vodafone-Idea is lagging significantly. The company lost 924,797 subscribers in May, its worst performance in the last three months, with a monthly decline of 0.42%. Vi’s continuous decline suggests it is steadily conceding the market to Jio and Airtel.

The boycott movement raises an important question: Can Indian consumers genuinely exercise choice in a market dominated by a few players? The state of BSNL, with its inadequate infrastructure and subpar service quality, underscores the limited alternatives available.

While social media campaigns can raise awareness, they are unlikely to effect significant change unless there is a substantial and viable competitor to challenge the private telecom giants. The ongoing scenario underscores the need for robust policy interventions and support for BSNL to enhance its services and infrastructure. Without these changes, consumers will continue to face limited choices and rising costs in the telecom sector.