The cell phone penetration is about to cross four million which, based on the 2001 census, would be forty per cent of the state population. The overall growth of the sector in J&K witnessed a 4.53 per cent growth which is much more than the national average. The major development of the growth story is that Dishnet Wireless – the operator of the Aircel, has crossed the million mark in only 16 months. Here are the details:
Growth of mobile users in J&K
| Year | BSNL | Airtel | Aircel | Vodaphone | Total |
| Dec 04 | 140360 | 70676 | – | – | 211036 |
| Dec 05 | 403331 | 233764 | – | – | 637095 |
| Dec 06 | 720411 | 466802 | 59096 | – | 1246309 |
| Dec 07 | 794958 | 860601 | 213261 | – | 1868820 |
| Dec 08 | 839175 | 1442521 | 579350 | – | 2861046 |
| Jan 09 | 833296 | 1517626 | 668062 | – | 3018984 |
| Feb 09 | 828862 | 1590935 | 703842 | – | 3123639 |
| Mar 09 | 832050 | 1633719 | 832281 | 1391 | 3299441 |
| Apr 09 | 839672 | 1708248 | 886191 | 56268 | 3490379 |
| May 09 | 842860 | 1785817 | 930250 | 85664 | 3644591 |
| June 09 | 848971 | 1814674 | 950455 | 109943 | 3724043 |
| July 09 | 867491 | 1845502 | 1033265 | 146368 | 3892626 |
Source: Cellular Operators Association of India
