According to annual data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), India’s broadband subscriber base grew steadily in 2024-25, adding 20.5 million new users to reach 944.12 million by March 2025, showing an annual growth rate of 2.17 per cent. This contributed to a total internet subscriber base of 969.10 million, up from 954.40 million a year earlier, representing 1.54 per cent overall growth. Meanwhile, narrowband users stood at 24.98 million for the reported year.
The data reflected India’s growing digital footprint, aided by widespread mobile broadband access, cost-effective data plans, and rising penetration in rural and semi-urban areas. However, the telecom sector showed modest overall growth in terms of total connections. Total telephone subscribers rose slightly from 1.19 billion to 1.2 billion, a marginal 0.13 per cent increase. Wireless connections fell by 1.74 million to 1.16 billion, while wireline users remained stable at 37.04 million.
As per the data, despite the flattening of subscriber growth, telecom revenues and user engagement saw a notable jump. The average revenue per user (ARPU) for wireless services rose sharply by 16.89 per cent to Rs 174.46 per month, led by a rise in prepaid ARPU from Rs 146.37 to Rs 173.84. meanwhile, postpaid ARPU dipped slightly to Rs 180.86. Average monthly minutes of usage per subscriber grew 3.91 per cent to 1,000 minutes, though postpaid usage dropped from 544 to 503 minutes.
Further, the report showed that India added 26.2 million new wireless data users, taking the total to 939.51 million, a 2.87 per cent increase. Wireless data usage surged 17.46 per cent year-on-year to 228,779 petabytes (PB), while wireless data revenue climbed 15.49 per cent to Rs 2.15 trillion.
However, the report mentioned that connectivity metrics showed minor declined. National tele-density decreased from 85.69 per cent to 85.04 per cent. Urban tele-density dropped to 131.45 per cent from 133.72 per cent, while rural tele-density dipped slightly to 59.06 per cent. Rural markets’ share of overall subscribers inched up from 44.52 per cent to 44.53 per cent.
The data painted a picture of a telecom sector shifting from voice to data, with digital engagement and monetisation gaining strength even as user growth slows, highlighting the early signs of market saturation in traditional services.
