India's mobile subscriber base, both CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) and GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), went up by 17.97 lakh (1.79 million) in September 2004 to touch 4.23 crore (42.3 million) with Bharti leading the tally at 87.02 lakh (8.7 million) users followed by Reliance with 81.01 lakh (8.1 million).

Out of the 4.23 crore mobile subscribers, GSM-based users stood at 3.35 crore (33.5 million) while CDMA players contributed 88.61 lakh (8.9 million).

In August, mobile user base had risen by 16.65 lakh (1.7 million) to touch 4.05 crore (40 million) with GSM players adding 14.14 lakh (1.4 million) subscribers.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd is the third largest mobile player with a subscriber base of 75.26 lakh (7.5 million).

Bharti is a GSM-based mobile player while Reliance is a CDMA player.

GSM players are way ahead by adding a whopping 15.33 lakh (1.5 million) users in September while CDMA players added 264,000.

In terms of percentage, while CDMA players posted a 3.08 per cent rise in the subscriber base, GSM user base in September swelled by 10 per cent over the previous month, according to figures released by cellular and CDMA associations -- COAI and AUSPI respectively.

According to the Department of Telecom, in the mobile segment, 18.50 lakh (1.8 million) subscribers were added during September 2004 as compared to 16.70 lakh (1.7 million) in August 2004. The mobile additions consist of 15.5 lakh (1.5 million) GSM subscribers and 300,000 CDMA subscribers.