With February 2026 closing, India’s telecom subscriber base has registered a sharp rise, reaching 1.32 billion. According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the growth is supported by continuous additions in the broadband segment.

The sector added more than 7 million users during the month, signalling expansion in digital connectivity across urban and rural markets.

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Broadband Expansion Remains the Driver

Following the recent growth, the total number of subscribers has surpassed 1.05 billion. The increase is largely driven by mobile data usage and fixed wireless access services, indicating sustained demand for high-speed connectivity.

Reliance Jio continues to lead the broadband market, followed by Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL). Together, the top five service providers accounted for over 98% of the total broadband market share, underscoring a highly concentrated industry structure.

The wireline segment also recorded modest growth, with subscriber numbers nearing 48 million. Urban areas continue to dominate this category, bagging the majority of connections.

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Wireless Segment Anchors Overall Telecom Growth

The wireless segment, which includes mobile and fixed wireless access (FWA), remained the backbone of India’s telecom sector with over 1.27 billion users. Urban subscriptions outpaced rural connections, though rural growth remained steady.

Tele-density (a measure of connectivity) increased marginally during the month, reflecting deeper network growth.

Subscriber mobility remains high, with millions of users opting for mobile number portability. This further indicates the ongoing competition among telecom providers on pricing and service quality.