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India's Telecom Subscriber Base Hits 1.32 Billion, Broadband Drives Growth

India's telecom subscriber base reached 1.32 billion by the end of February 2026, adding 7.31 million new users in the month. The growth was fueled by the broadband segment, which expanded to over 1.05 billion subscribers. Reliance Jio maintained its market leadership in broadband, followed by Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea. The wireless segment also saw growth, with tele-density increasing and over 14 million subscribers requesting mobile number portability.

Key Points: India Telecom Subscribers Reach 1.32B, Broadband Surges

  • Total subscribers hit 1.32 billion
  • Broadband users surge to 1.06 billion
  • Reliance Jio leads market with 519.64M users
  • Wireless tele-density rises to 89.30%
2 min read

India's telecom subscriber base hits 1.32 billion as broadband adoption surges in February

India's telecom subscriber base grew to 1.32 billion in Feb 2026, driven by broadband. Jio leads, Airtel follows. Wireless tele-density rises.

"the wireless tele-density in India increased from 88.87%... to 89.30% - TRAI Report"

New Delhi, April 2

India's total telephone subscriber base climbed to 1,321.31 million at the end of February 2026, according to the telecom subscription data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

As per TRAI, the sector recorded a net addition of 7.31 million subscribers during the month, reflecting an overall monthly growth rate of 0.56 per cent. This growth was largely underpinned by the broadband segment, which saw its user base rise from 1,052.72 million in January 2026 to 1,059.05 million by the end of February 2026.

In the competitive broadband market, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. maintained its leadership position with a subscriber base of 519.64 million. Bharti Airtel Ltd. followed with 364.14 million, while Vodafone Idea Ltd. and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. reported 129.36 million and 28.70 million subscribers, respectively.

The report highlighted that the market share of the top five broadband service providers stood at a dominant 98.60 per cent. Within the fixed wired access broadband category, the hierarchy saw Reliance Jio at the top with 14.10 million users, followed by Bharti Airtel with 10.54 million and BSNL with 4.43 million.

The wireline segment grew, with the total number of subscribers increasing to 47.99 million. This represented a net increase of 0.34 million connections and a monthly growth rate of 0.70 per cent.

Urban subscribers constituted the vast majority of this segment at 89.41 per cent, while rural areas held a 10.59 per cent share.

TRAI noted that PSU access service providers, including BSNL, MTNL, and APSFL "together held 19.12% of the wireline market share at the end of February 2026."

The wireless segment, encompassing both mobile and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), was also a driver of connectivity with 1,273.31 million subscribers. Urban centers accounted for 730.75 million of these connections, while rural subscriptions reached 542.56 million.

The data indicated that "the wireless tele-density in India increased from 88.87% at the end of January 2026 to 89.30% at the end of February 2026," with urban areas maintaining a significantly higher density of 142.32 per cent.

Private access service providers continued to dominate this space, holding a 92.59 per cent market share, while public sector units BSNL and MTNL together held 7.41 per cent.

Consumer mobility remained high during the period as "14.47 million subscribers submitted their requests for Mobile Number Portability" throughout the month.

Additionally, the number of active wireless subscribers reached 1,177.60 million on the date of peak VLR (Visitor Location Register). Overall tele-density in the country, factoring in M2M cellular mobile connections, reached 92.66 per cent.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
The growth is impressive, but the urban-rural divide in wireline connections is still stark. 89% urban vs 10% rural? We need more focus on fiber and last-mile connectivity in villages to make this growth truly inclusive.
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Aman W
Switched from Vi to Airtel last month for better broadband. The MNP number of 14.47 million shows customers are actively choosing better service. Competition is good for us! Hope BSNL also improves with 4G/5G rollout.
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Sarah B
Working from my hometown in Kerala has been possible only because of reliable broadband now. The data shows the infrastructure is catching up, which is great for reversing brain drain. More power to remote work!
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Vikram M
Urban tele-density at 142% means many people have 2 connections or devices. Makes sense with work phone + personal phone. But we must ensure quality of service improves with quantity. Call drops are still an issue sometimes.
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Karthik V
Jio's lead is massive! Over 500 million broadband users is no small feat. Their affordable plans initially and now fiber-to-home services have changed the game. Hope Airtel and others keep competing hard – we get better deals. 😊

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