MTNL's market share decreases: minister

New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) The market share of the state-run telecom operator Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) has decreased due to capacity constraint in its GSM mobile network, a union minister said here Monday.

MTNL's market share has decreased due to "constraints in its GSM mobile network due to non-commissioning of 750,000 lines each in Delhi and Mumbai by the vendors", Minister of State for Communications and IT Jyotiraditya Scindia told parliament.

Moreover, capacity in GSM mobile equipment for the past two years was sub-judice and there was delay in supply of equipments, he added.

Also, surrendering of 'excess landline phones' and preference for mobile phones have led to the downfall.

The market share of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), another state-run telecom major, was 78.82 percent in August, whereas that of MTNL was merely 9.32 percent.

The market share in mobile connections for BSNL stood at 14.14 percent while that of MTNL was a meager 1.28 percent.