Telecom wireless ARPU rises 0.64% to Rs 182.95 in March quarter: TRAI

New Delhi, June 19: The Monthly Average Revenue per User (ARPU) of telecom players, a metric represents the average revenue a business generates from each of its users, for wireless service increased by 0.64 per cent, from Rs 181.80 in December 2024 to Rs 182.95 in quarter ending March current year, according to the data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

As per the report, on a Y-O-Y basis, monthly ARPU for wireless service increased by 19.16 per cent in this quarter.

The ARPU per month for the prepaid segment is Rs 182.53, and the ARPU per month for the postpaid segment is Rs 187.48 for QE March of the current year, the data shows.

Telecom operators have seen a rise in ARPU following the recent tariff hikes.

On an all-India average, the overall Minutes Of Usage (MOU) per month increased by 1.64 per cent from 1009 in QE Dec 2024 to 1026 in QE Mar 2025, the quarterly data shows.

The data shows that India's internet subscribers dipped marginally from 970.16 million at the end of December 2024 to 969.10 million at the end of the March quarter, registering a quarterly rate of decline of 0.11 per cent,

According to the TRAI's "Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report", the internet subscriber base is comprised of a Broadband Internet subscriber base of 944.12 million and a Narrowband Internet subscriber base of 24.98 million.

The quarterly data shows that the broadband Internet subscriber base decreased by 0.09 per cent from 944.96 million at the end of Dec-24 to 944.12 million at the end of Mar-25.

The narrowband Internet subscriber base decreased from 25.20 million at the end of Dec-24 to 24.98 million at the end of March.

The quarterly data shows that wireline subscribers decreased from 39.27 million at the end of Dec-24 to 37.04 million at the end of Mar-25, with a quarterly rate of decline of 5.67 per cent.

The telecom regulator said that the decrease is due to the accounting of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) subscribers in the wireless category.

On a Y-O-Y basis, wireline subscriptions increased by 9.62 per cent at the end of QE Mar-25, the data shows.

Further, the data shows that the wireline tele density decreased from 2.79 per cent at the end of December of 2024 to 2.62 per cent at the end of March 2025, with a quarterly rate of decline of 5.88 per cent.

Reader Comments

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Rahul K.

Good to see ARPU increasing, but telecom companies should focus more on improving service quality. I'm paying more but still face call drops in my area. 5G rollout is impressive though! 👍

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Priya M.

The 19% yearly increase in ARPU is quite steep! While I understand companies need to invest in infrastructure, I hope this doesn't make mobile services unaffordable for common people. Jio's initial promise of affordable data seems distant now.

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Amit S.

Interesting to see wireline subscriptions decreasing while wireless grows. Most offices in my city have shifted to mobile hotspots instead of traditional broadband. The future is truly wireless! 📱

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Sunita R.

The marginal dip in internet subscribers is surprising. Maybe people are cutting down on multiple SIMs? I personally maintain two connections - one for work and one personal. The tariff hikes might be making others rethink this strategy.

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Vikram J.

TRAI should ensure that the increased revenues are being used to improve rural connectivity. Many villages still struggle with basic 4G coverage while cities enjoy 5G. Digital India should be inclusive for all!

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Neha P.

The difference between prepaid and postpaid ARPU is minimal now (₹182 vs ₹187). Earlier postpaid used to be much more premium. Shows how prepaid plans have evolved with similar benefits at lower costs. Smart move by telecom companies!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.