Telecom Growth Remains Robust in Sep 2025: Broadband Subscribers Near 1 Billion Mark
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Institutions: Ministry of Communications | Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)
The Ministry of Communications released the highlights of telecom subscription data as of September 30, 2025, indicating continued robust growth in Indiaβs telecommunication sector. The total number of telephone subscribers (wireless and wireline) reached 1,228.94 million, reflecting a monthly growth rate of 0.36% in September 2025, driven by a net addition of 4.40 million subscribers. The overall tele-density in the country increased to 86.65%. Critically, the total number of broadband subscribers neared the psychological one-billion mark, rising to 995.63 million at the end of September, registering a monthly growth of 0.61%.
Growth in the wireless segment continues to be the primary driver, with rural wireless subscriptions showing a higher monthly growth rate (0.39%) than urban areas (0.34%), contributing to rising rural tele-density, which stood at 58.98%. The wireline segment also saw a marginal positive growth of 0.23%. In the broadband space, the top five service providers accounted for 98.50% of the total market share, highlighting concentrated industry growth. Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) subscribers, including 5G FWA, also showed strong expansion with an almost 8% growth rate in September.
The consistent growth in rural subscriptions and the rapid approach to one billion broadband users underscore the successful strides in achieving digital inclusion under the Digital India mission. This data provides crucial policy input for regulating market concentration and directing future investments in high-growth areas like Fixed Wireless Access and rural infrastructure development.
What is βTele-densityβ and why is it important for policy analysis?β Tele-density is the number of telephone connections per 100 individuals in a specific geographical area (like a country, state, or district). It is a key metric for policymakers as it indicates the level of market penetration and connectivity within the population, serving as a measure of digital inclusion and access to essential communication services.
Follow the full update here: Highlights of Telecom Subscription Data as on 30th September 2025