The government expects to reach 600 million telecom subscriber base by the end of 11^th five year plan from 2007-2012, Minister of State for Communications Gurudas Kamat said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

 

Earlier, the same was expected to be about 500 million which was achieved in September last year, much ahead of the scheduled time, given the robust telecom environment.

 

The wireless telephone connections have already reached 545.05 million at the end of January.   The connections increased at an average rate of 56.75 per cent per annum during the last 3 years, the minister said.

 

As per the projections, the mobile segment market in India is expected to touch one billion by 2015, Kamat added.

 

“The expected GSM mobile segment market for BSNL by 2013 is 119.9 million,” he said.