New Delhi, April 11: India has registered a total telecom subscriber base of 272.87 million for the quarter ending December 2007 as against 248.65 million for the quarter ending September 2007, shows the data released by the sector regulator.

India, which is the world's fastest growing market for wireless subscribers, also recorded 233.62 million users in the segment during the quarter from 209.67 million in the quarter ending September last year.

India is expected to surpass the US as the world's second-biggest market, led by China.

This has, however, negatively impacted the growth of wireline users, which decreased from 39.58 million during the quarter ending September last year to 39.25 million in quarter ending December, said the data released by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

Similarly, in rural areas, the growth of wireless subscribers recorded a whopping 52.52 million users opposed to 43.98 million, while in case of wireline subscribers it declined from 11.99 million in the quarter ending September to 11.75 million in the quarter ending December.

The tele-density for the October-December 2007 quarter reached 23.87 compared to 21.87 for the quarter ending September, the authority said.

The number of broadband subscribers was 3.13 million for the quarter ending December 2007 as against 2.67 million for the previous quarter.

The Indian government has set a target of 500 million telecom connections by 2010, half of which was reached last year.

It also has a target of 20 million broadband connections within the next three years.