“The Indian Telecom Services Yearly Performance Indicators” for the year 2025-26

Ministry of Communications “The Indian Telecom Services Yearly Performance Indicators” for the year 2025-26

Posted On: 05 OCT 2026 6:36PM by PIB Delhi TRAI today has released the “The Indian Telecom Services-Yearly Performance Indicators” for the year 2025-26. This Report provides a broad perspective of the Telecom Services in India and presents the key parameters and growth trends of the Telecom Services as well as Cable TV, DTH & Radio Broadcasting services in India for the period covering 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026. This report is compiled mainly on the basis of the information furnished by the Service Providers.

Executive Summary of the Report is given below. The complete Report is available on TRAI’s website www.trai.gov.in and under the link http://www. trai.gov.in/release-publication/repo rts/performance-indicators-reports. Any suggestion or any clarification pertaining to this report, Shri Vijay Kumar, Advisor (F&EA), TRAI may be contacted on Tel. +91-20907773 and e-mail: advfea1@trai.gov.in.

Executive Summary

1. Total number of internet subscribers increased from 969.10 million at the end of March 2025 to 1092.79 million at the end of March 2026 with yearly rate of growth of 12.76%. Out of total 1092.79 million internet subscribers, number of broadband subscribers is 1065.88 million, and number of narrowband subscribers is 26.91 million at the end of March 2026.

Composition of Internet Subscription as on 31st March 20262. Number of Broadband subscribers increased from 944.12 million at the end of March 2025 to 1,065.88 million at the end of March 2026 with yearly rate of growth of 12.90%. The number of Narrowband subscribers also increased from

24.98 million at the end of March 2025 to 26.91 million at the end of March 2026 with yearly rate of growth of 7.72%.

3. Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) per month for wireless service increased from ₹174.46 in 2024-25 to ₹180.73 in 2025-26, thereby showing a yearly rate of growth of 3.59%.

4. During the year 2025-26, the Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) per month for prepaid service was ₹190.66 and ARPU per month for postpaid service was ₹119.76*.

5. During the year 2025-26, Average Total Minutes of Usage (MOUs) per subscriber per month were 950*.

6. During the year 2025-26, the Minutes of Usage (MOUs) per subscriber per month for postpaid services were 305* and for prepaid services were 1055.

7. Number of wireless data subscribers has increased from 939.51 million at the end of March 2025 to 1026.75 million at the end of March 2026 with yearly rate of growth of 9.29%. Further, total volume of wireless data usage also increased from 2,28,779 PB during the year 2024-25 to 2,85,376 PB during the year 2025- 26 with yearly growth of 24.74%.

8. Total revenue from wireless data usage increased from ₹2,15,078 crore in the year 2024-25 to ₹2,39,874 crore in the year 2025-26 with yearly rate of growth of

11.53%.

9. Average revenue realization per GB for wireless data usage decreased from ₹8.97 in 2024-25 to ₹8.02 in 2025-26 with yearly rate of decline 10.59%.

Note: *M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd. (BAL) was not including their M2M cellular subscriber base in their wireless (Mobile) subscriber base in earlier reports, while remaining operators were including their M2M Cellular subscriber base in their wireless (mobile) subscriber base. M/s BAL has now furnished its revised reports for FY 2025-26 including the M2M subscriber base and related indicators. The wireless subscriber base and related indicators have accordingly been calculated by incorporating revised reports of M/s BAL for FY 2025-26.10. Average Wireless Data Usage per wireless data subscriber per month increased from 21.53 GB 2024-25 to ₹25.51 GB in 2025-26 with yearly rate of growth

18.49%

11. The total number of telephone subscribers in India increased from 1,200.80 million at the end of March 2025 to 1,330.58 million at the end of March 2026, registering a yearly rate of growth 10.81%. The overall Tele-density in India increased from 85.04% at the end of March 2025 to 93.26% at the end of March 2026 at yearly rate of growth 9.66%.

12. Telephone subscription in Urban Areas increased from 666.11 million at the end of March 2025 to 778.79 million at the end of March 2026 at the yearly rate of growth 16.92%. Urban Tele-density also increased from 131.45% at the end of March 2025 to 151.47% at the end of March 2026 with yearly rate of growth of

15.23%.

13. Rural telephone subscription increased from 534.69 million at the end of March 2025 to 551.79 million at the end of March 2026 at the yearly rate of growth of

3.20% and Rural Tele-density also increased from 59.06% to 60.46% during the same period of time.

Trend of Tele-density

14. Out of the total telephone subscription, the shares of Rural telephone subscription decreased from 44.53% at the end of March 2025 to 41.47% at theend of March 2026. The following chart depicts the rural-urban market share of telephone subscribers for the four years.

15. Out of 1,330.58 million total telephone subscribers, the number of Wireless (Mobile+FWA) Telephone subscribers is 1,282.33 million and the number of Wireline Telephone subscribers is 48.25 million at the end of March 2026. The following chart depicts the market share of Wireless and Wireline subscribers in India.

Composition of Market Share Wireless & Wireline Subscribers

16. Total Wireless (Mobile+FWA) subscribers increased from 1,163.76 million at the end of March 2025 to 1,282.33 million at the end of March 2026, thereby showing a yearly rate of growth of 10.19%[1]. During the year 2025-26, net addition of 118.58 million wireless subscribers was recorded.

17. Overall Wireless (Mobile+FWA) Teledensity increased from 82.42% at the end of March 2025 to 89.88% at the end of March-26. Rural wireless Teledensity increased from 58.67% to 59.89% and Urban wireless Teledensity also increased from 124.83% to 143.10% at the end of March 2026.

18. Wireless (Mobile) subscribers increased from 1,156.99 million at the end of Mar- 25 to 1,265.73 million at the end of March-26, thereby showing a yearly rate of growth of 9.40%*. During the year 2025-26, net addition of 108.74 million wireless subscribers was recorded.

19. Wireless (Mobile) Teledensity increased from 81.94% at the end of March 2025 to

88.71% at the end of March 2026. Rural wireless Teledensity increased from58.40% at the end of March 2025 to 59.08% at the end of March 2026 and Urban wireless Teledensity also increased from 123.99% to 141.30% during the same period of time.

20. Total Wireline subscriber base increased from 37.04 million at the end of March 2025 to 48.25 million at the end of March 2026 with yearly rate of growth of

30.25%.

21. Overall Wireline Tele-density increased from 2.62% at the end of March-25 to

3.38% at the end of Mar-26. During the same period Rural wireline tele-density increased from 0.39% to 0.57% and Urban wireline tele-density also increased from 6.62% to 8.37%.

22. Gross Revenue (GR) increased from ₹3,72,097 crore in the year 2024-25 to ₹4,04,067 crore in the year 2025-26 with yearly rate of growth of 8.59% and Applicable Gross Revenue (ApGR) also increased from ₹3,56,283 crore to ₹3,81,645 crore with yearly growth rate of 7.12% during same period. Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) increased from ₹ 3,03,025 crore in the year 2024-25 to ₹ 3,34,659 crore in the year 2025-26 with yearly rate of growth of 10.44%.

23. Pass through charges decreased by 13.63% from ₹52,879 crore in the year 2024- 25 to ₹45,673 crore in the year 2025-26. Pass-through charges as a percentage of Gross Revenue are 11.30% in 2025-26 as against 14.21% in the previous financial year.

24. Spectrum Usage Charges (SUC) yearly increased by 6.12% from ₹3,807 crore in the year 2024-25 to ₹4,040 crore in the year 2025-26 and License Fee also increased by 10.40% from ₹24,242 crore to ₹26,763 crore during the same period.

Service wise composition of Adjusted Gross Revenue for the year 2025-26

25. Access services contributed 83.95% of the total Adjusted Gross Revenue of telecom services. In Access services, Gross Revenue (GR), Applicable Gross Revenue (ApGR), Adjusted Gross Revenue (A`GR), License Fee (LF) and Spectrum Usage Charges (SUC) increased by 7.32%, 6.77%, 10.85%, 10.84 and 6.26% respectively in the year 2025-26 over the previous year 2024-25. However, Pass Through Charges decreased by 16.46% during the same period.

26. A total of approximately 917 private satellite TV channels have been permitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), as on 31.03.2026, foruplinking only/downlinking only/both uplinking & downlinking. Out of 917 permitted satellite TV channels, 908 channels are available for downlinking in India.

27. As per the reporting done by broadcasters in pursuance of the Tariff Order dated 3rd March 2017 as amended, out of 908 permitted satellite TV channels which are available for downlinking in India, there are 342 satellite pay TV channels as on 31st March 2026. Out of 342 pay channels, 238 are SD satellite pay TV channels and 104 are HD satellite pay TV channels. Apart from these pay channels reported to TRAI, remaining 566 channels, permitted by MIB, are considered as Free-to-Air (FTA) channels.

28. During the period ending 31st March 2026, there were 4 pay DTH service providers in India. Pay DTH has net pay active subscriber base of around 49.05 million, as on 31st March 2026 as compared to 56.92 million subscribers, as on 31st March 2025. This is in addition to the subscribers of the free DTH services of Doordarshan.

29. Apart from the radio Stations operated by All India Radio, the public broadcaster, as on 31st March 2025, there were 388 operational private FM Radio stations in 113 cities with operational 33 Private FM Radio broadcaster. As on 31st March 2026, there are 390 operational private FM radio channels across 120 cities, operated by 31 private FM radio operators

30. The advertisement revenue, as reported by FM Radio operators, decreased from ₹1818.71 crore in 2024-25 to 1616.42 in 2025-26.

31. As on 31st March 2026, 564 Community Radio stations are operational as compared to 531 Community Radio station, as on 31st March 2025.

SNAPSHOT (Data as on 31st March 2026) Telecom Subscribers (Wireless+Wireline) Total Subscribers 1,330.58 mn % change over the previous year 10.81% Urban Subscribers 778.79 mn Rural Subscribers 551.79 mn Market share of Private Operators 92.32% Market share of PSU Operators 7.68% Tele-density 93.26% Urban Tele-density 151.47%Rural Tele-density 60.46% Tele-density (without M2M cellular mobile) 84.57% Wireless Subscribers Wireless (Mobile) Subscribers 1,265.73 mn Wireless (Mobile) Subscribers (excluding M2M) 1,141.85 mn Wireless (FWA) Subscribers 16.61 mn Total Wireless (Mobile+FWA) Subscribers 1,282.33 mn % change over the previous year 10.19% Urban Subscribers 735.73 mn Rural Subscribers 546.60 mn Market share of Private Sector Operators 92.74% Market share of Public Sector Operators 7.26% Tele-density 89.88% Urban Tele-density 143.10% Rural Tele-density 59.89% Tele-density (without M2M cellular mobile) 81.19% No. of total Public Mobile Radio Trunk Services (PMRTS) 66,325 No. of Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT) 2,01,239 Wireline Subscribers Total Wireline Subscribers 48.25 mn % change over the previous year 30.25% Urban Subscribers 43.06 mnRural Subscribers 5.19 mn Market share of Private Operators 81.16% Market share of PSU Operators 18.84% Tele-density 3.38% Rural Tele-density 0.57% Urban Tele-density 8.37% No. of Public Call Office (PCO) 5167 Internet/Broadband Subscribers Total Internet Subscribers 1092.79 mn % change over previous year 12.76% Broadband subscribers 1065.88 mn Narrowband subscribers 26.91 mn Wired Internet Subscribers 46.54 mn Wireless Internet Subscribers 1046.26 mn Urban Internet Subscribers 651.93 mn Rural Internet Subscribers 440.87 mn M Total Internet Subscribers per 100 population 76.59 Urban Internet Subscribers per 100 population 126.80 Rural Internet Subscribers per 100 population 48.31 Telecom Financial Data for the Financial Year-2025-26Gross Revenue (GR) ₹4,04,067 cr % change in GR over the previous year 8.59% Applicable Gross Revenue (ApGR) ₹3,81,645 cr % change in ApGR over the previous year 7.12% Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) ₹ 3,34,659 cr % change in AGR over the previous year 10.44% Share of Public Sector Operators in Access AGR 3.02% Broadcasting & Cable Services Number of private satellite TV channels permitted by the 917 Ministry of I&B for uplinking only/downlinking only/both uplinking and downlinking Number of Pay TV Channels 342 Number of private FM Radio Stations (excluding All India Radio) 390 FM Radio Advertisement Revenue (2025-26) 1616.42 cr Number of Pay Subscribers Active with Private DTH Operators 49.05 mn Number of Operational Community Radio Stations 564 Number of pay DTH Operators 4 Revenue & Usage Parameters (for the Year 2025-26) Monthly ARPU for Wireless Service ₹180.73 Change in ARPU over previous year 3.59% Minutes of Usage (MOU) per subscriber per month - Wireless 950.11 Minutes Service Average Revenue for wireless data per data subscriber per ₹245.66 month for wireless servicesAverage revenue realization per GB for wireless data usage ₹8.02 Average Wireless Data Usage per wireless data subscriber per 25.51 GB month **** NJ/ ARJ (Release ID: 2319321)Visitor Counter : 388

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