Internet subscribers rise over 6 pc to 1.09 billion in India: TRAI
New Delhi, June 23
Total internet subscribers in India rose to 1,092.79 million from 1028.61 million in December 2025 at the end of March 2026, up 6.24 per cent, a report has said.
The report from TRAI said the total internet subscribers comprised 46.54 million wired subscribers and 1,046.26 million wireless subscribers, with the broadband base at 1,065.88 million and narrowband at 26.91 million.
The broadband subscriber base grew 5.81 per cent quarter on quarter till March 2026, while narrowband subscriptions surged 26.62 per cent.
Wireline tele-density increased from 3.33 per cent at the end of December 2025 to 3.38 per cent at the end of March 2026, with a quarterly rate of growth of 1.64 per cent.
Total telephone subscribers rose to 1,330.58 million, lifting overall tele‑density to 93.26 per cent from 91.74 per cent in the previous quarter.
Meanwhile, Monthly Average Revenue per User (ARPU) for wireless service increased 0.76 per cent to Rs 196.04, and on a yearly basis, monthly ARPU for wireless service increased by 7.15 per cent in this quarter.
On an all-India average, the overall minutes of usage (MOU) per month increased by 0.43 per cent from 1012 in the quarter ended December 2025 to 1017 in the next quarter.
Prepaid minutes of usage per subscriber are 1074, and postpaid minutes of usage per subscriber per month are 477 in Q1 CY26.
The License Fee (LF) increased from Rs 6,733 crore for the quarter ended December 2025 to Rs 6,936 crore for the next quarter.
The quarterly and the annual rates of growth in license fees are 3.02 per cent and 9.41 per cent, respectively, in this quarter.
A total of 917 private satellite TV channels have been permitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) for uplinking only/downlinking only/both uplinking & downlinking.
Out of 908 permitted satellite TV channels which are available for downlinking in India, 342 satellite pay TV channels are operational as of March-end.
— IANS
Reader Comments
ARPU increasing to Rs 196 is a mixed bag—good for telecom companies but tough on common people. With inflation and rising costs, every rupee counts. Still, I'm happy about the broadband growth; remote work and online education are now more accessible. Just wish data prices would come down further! 📱💸
The 6.24% growth is impressive, but let's not ignore the fact that wireless subscribers still dominate at over 1 billion. Wireline growth is sluggish at just 3.38% teledensity—how will we achieve true digital inclusion without reliable wired broadband in rural areas? Also, 917 private satellite TV channels seem excessive when OTT platforms are booming. 📺📉
As an expat living in India, these numbers are phenomenal. India's digital transformation is unmatched globally. But the 26.62% surge in narrowband subscriptions suggests many are still stuck on slower connections. The government should prioritize 5G rollout and fiber optic expansion to truly bridge the gap. Well done, TRAI, for the transparency! 👍
Happy to see the growth, but let's talk about affordability. At Rs 196 ARPU, many low-income families are still priced out. Also, the report mentions 1017 minutes of usage per month—that's over 33 minutes daily! Shows how reliant we are on mobile data. But what about quality? Frequent call drops and slow speeds are still a nightmare in many areas. 😤
A 5.81% quarterly growth in broadband is fantastic! But I'm concerned about the digital divide—only 46
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