The free-everything fueled exodus of mobile Internet users to Reliance Jio is real: Airtel, India's largest telecom operator, reported a massive quarter on quarter decline in every single mobile Internet statistic: Mobile Internet user base declined around 7.74 million (12%) quarter on quarter to 54.91 million from 62.66 million. This is even lower than the preceding three quarters, and on par with a year ago, when Airtel had reported 54.86 million mobile Internet users. Mobile broadband (3G+4G)base declined 9% (3.46 million) quarter on quarter, to 37.69 million from 41.33 million. Around half the decline in Airtel's mobile Internet base was of broadband customers. This is still higher than the preceding quarter (Q1 FY17), where Airtel had reported 36.57 million mobile broadband users. Around 69% of Airtel's mobile Internet users are broadband. 2G customer mobile Internet base declined 19% (4 million) to 17.22 million from 21.32 million. Mobile data consumption declined for the first time in many quarters: down by 6.3 million MBs (around 4%) to 171.81 million MBs during the quarter, from 178.12 million MBs. It is, however, higher than the preceding quarter (Q1 FY17), which was 158.03 million MBs. Data ARPU (average revenue per user) declined 13% to Rs 175 from 201 in the preceding quarter. The last time Airtel's Data ARPU was lower than this was December 2014, two years ago. Average data usage per customer declined to 972 MB per customer, down 3% from 1000 MB last quarter. Data realisation per MB declined to 17.97 down 10% from 20.08 MB last quarter. Mobile…
