The Business Bytes
THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
NEW DELHI, APRIL 21, 2025
India’s broadband subscriber base reached a new milestone of 945.16 million in January 2025, marking a modest monthly increase of 0.04%, according to government data released on Monday. The growth, primarily driven by mobile broadband, continues to showcase the expanding reach of digital connectivity across the nation.
The slight uptick, from 944.96 million in December 2024 to 945.16 million in January, highlights the ongoing surge in mobile broadband subscriptions. The number of mobile broadband users grew by 0.05%, from 898.57 million to 899.04 million during the month. This steady rise underlines the increasing reliance on mobile internet, a trend fueled by the country’s mobile-first population.
The broadband market, encompassing both wired and wireless segments, remains concentrated in the hands of a few large players. The top five broadband providers together held a dominant 98.43% of the market share, continuing to shape the landscape of India’s telecom sector. Bharti Airtel led the pack with 289.31 million subscribers, followed by Vodafone Idea, which secured the third spot with 126.41 million subscribers. BSNL and Atria Convergence Technologies rounded out the top five with 35.77 million and 2.28 million subscribers, respectively.
In the wired broadband sector, Airtel led with 8.55 million users, while BSNL maintained a strong presence with 4.26 million users. Atria Convergence Technologies and Kerala Vision Broadband followed, with market shares of 2.28 million and 1.28 million, respectively. Collectively, these top five players accounted for 67.67% of the fixed broadband market, reflecting their commanding presence in the space.
On the wireless front, mobile and fixed wireless broadband subscriptions displayed varied trends. Fixed wireless broadband users stood at 4.98 million in January, while the broader wireless subscriber base—including both mobile and fixed wireless — grew by 0.55%, rising from 1,150.66 million to 1,157 million in the same period.
In a notable shift, the inclusion of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) subscribers under the wireless category has contributed to this rise. Earlier counted under wireline, the reclassification has now provided a more accurate picture of the wireless broadband ecosystem.
Another key development highlighted in the telecom report was the continued popularity of Mobile Number Portability (MNP), with over 14.14 million users opting for the facility in January alone. Since its introduction, MNP requests have surpassed 1.09 billion, further emphasizing the competitive dynamics within the Indian telecom sector.
Despite these steady growth figures, the report noted that urban areas continue to lead in terms of tele-density and market penetration, as rural areas gradually catch up with the expanding digital infrastructure. The telecom sector remains poised for further developments, with broadband connectivity playing a pivotal role in India’s ongoing digital transformation.
