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India's Internet Users Surpass 1.02 Billion, Telecom Growth Soars

India's telecom sector showed robust growth in the December 2025 quarter, with internet subscribers crossing 1.02 billion. The broadband subscriber base itself surpassed the 1 billion mark, indicating strong demand for high-speed data. Total telephone connections saw a sharp increase to over 1.3 billion, significantly boosting the national tele-density. Telecom companies also reported improved financials, with higher revenues and an increase in average revenue per user.

Key Points: India Internet Users Cross 1.02 Billion: TRAI Report

  • Internet users cross 1.02B mark
  • Broadband base exceeds 1B subscribers
  • Telephone subscribers jump to 1.3B
  • Wireless ARPU rises to Rs 194.57
2 min read

India's internet users cross 1.02 billion: TRAI

India's internet subscribers exceed 1.02 billion with strong telecom growth in Q4 2025. Broadband crosses 1 billion, and tele-density improves to 91.74%.

"The total number of internet subscribers increased... registering a quarterly growth of 1.06 per cent. - TRAI Report"

New Delhi, March 3

India's telecom sector continued its growth momentum in the December 2025 quarter, with internet subscribers crossing the 1.02 billion mark and overall telephone connections rising sharply, according to the latest performance report released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Tuesday.

The TRAI released its Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report for the quarter ending December 31, 2025.

The report showed steady growth in internet users, telephone subscribers, revenues and average earnings of telecom companies.

The total number of internet subscribers increased from 1,017.81 million at the end of September 2025 to 1,028.61 million by the end of December 2025, registering a quarterly growth of 1.06 per cent.

Out of the total internet users, 983.29 million were wireless subscribers, while 45.32 million were wired users.

The broadband subscriber base crossed the 1 billion mark and stood at 1,007.35 million -- reflecting steady demand for high-speed data services.

The total number of telephone subscribers in the country saw a strong jump during the quarter.

It increased from 1,228.94 million in September to 1,306.14 million in December, marking a quarterly growth of 6.28 per cent and a year-on-year growth of 9.77 per cent.

Overall tele-density in India improved from 86.65 per cent to 91.74 per cent during the same period.

Wireless subscribers, including mobile and fixed wireless access (FWA) users, rose by 76.45 million during the quarter to reach 1,258.77 million.

Wireless tele-density also increased from 83.36 per cent to 88.41 per cent. The mobile subscriber base alone grew to 1,244.20 million.

Telecom companies also reported improved financial performance. Gross Revenue (GR) of the telecom sector stood at Rs 1,02,475 crore in the December quarter, while Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) was Rs 84,270 crore.

Both figures recorded quarterly as well as year-on-year growth. Monthly Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) for wireless services increased to Rs 194.57 from Rs 190.99 in the previous quarter -- reflecting improved earnings per subscriber.

In the broadcasting sector, 920 private satellite TV channels have been permitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

As of December 31, 2025, 335 of these were pay TV channels, while the remaining were free-to-air channels.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Great growth, but the ARPU increase to nearly ₹195 is a concern. Data packs are getting expensive again. Hope competition keeps prices in check for the common man.
A
Arjun K
The jump in tele-density to over 91% is impressive. It means even in remote areas, people are getting connected. This is the foundation for so many govt schemes and services to reach the last mile.
S
Sarah B
Working in tech, I see this firsthand. The talent pool and market size in India is now unmatched. This data will attract even more global investment. Exciting times!
V
Vikram M
Only 45 million wired users? That's a tiny fraction. We need to push for more fibre-to-the-home, especially in cities. Wireless is great, but for stable WFH and gaming, nothing beats a wired connection yaar.
M
Meera T
With great connectivity comes great responsibility. Hope we also focus on digital literacy and cybersecurity. My parents just got smartphones, and I'm constantly worried about scams.

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