India’s Telecom Subscriber BASE Rises To 1.33 Billion In March 2026; Broadband Crosses 1.065 Billion

India’s telecom sector expanded further in March 2026, with the total telephone subscriber base rising to 1,330.58 million, up from 1,321.31 million in February, according to data released by the Ministry of Communications based on information submitted by telecom service providers to TRAI. The country added 9.28 million total telephone subscribers during the month, taking overall tele-density to 93.26%.

Broadband continued to be a major growth driver. Total broadband subscriptions increased from 1,059.05 million at the end of February to 1,065.88 million at the end of March, a monthly growth of 0.65%. Within this, wired broadband climbed to 46.51 million, while wireless broadband reached 1,019.37 million. Reliance Jio remained the largest broadband provider with 523.44 million subscribers, followed by Bharti Airtel at 368.84 million and Vodafone Idea at 128.91 million. The top five broadband providers together accounted for 98.60% of the market.

The wireless segment also posted healthy growth. Total wireless subscribers, including mobile and fixed wireless access, rose to 1,282.33 million in March from 1,273.31 million in February, registering a monthly growth of 0.71%. Urban wireless subscriptions increased to 735.73 million, while rural wireless subscriptions rose to 546.60 million, indicating broad-based expansion across both markets. Wireless tele-density stood at 89.88%, with urban tele-density at 143.10% and rural tele-density at 59.89%.

Mobile services remained at the core of this growth. Wireless mobile subscribers alone climbed to 1,265.73 million, while the number of active wireless subscribers on the peak VLR date stood at 1,185.60 million. The month also saw strong customer movement, with 14.63 million requests submitted for Mobile Number Portability, reflecting sustained competition and consumer churn in the market.

Wireline services, though smaller in size, also moved upward. The wireline subscriber base increased to 48.25 million from 47.99 million in February, posting a monthly growth rate of 0.53%. At the same time, India’s urban telephone subscriber base reached 778.79 million, while rural subscriptions rose to 551.79 million, showing that telecom growth continues to deepen beyond metros into the wider national market.

Reference: PIB