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India’s telecom scene rings in mixed signals in 2024-25
MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released its annual performance indicators report for 2024-25 and the numbers show a curious mix of gains, drops and digital twists in India’s ever-buzzing telecom space.
India added 14.7 million internet users over the year, nudging the total base to a hefty 969.1 million by March 2025, a modest growth of 1.54 per cent. Of these, a dominant 944.12 million are broadband surfers, up 2.17 per cent, while the slow-lane narrowband crowd shrank 17.66 per cent to just 24.98 million.
Wireless users are spending more. Average revenue per user (arpu) for wireless shot up 16.89 per cent to Rs174.46 a month. Prepaid arpu jumped sharply from Rs 146.37 to Rs 173.84. Postpaid users, though, spent less, their arpu dipped to Rs180.86 from Rs 184.63.
Talk time also climbed. The average subscriber chatted for 1,000 minutes a month, up from 963 the previous year. But again, the prepaid crowd did the heavy lifting, their usage rose to 1,047 minutes, while postpaid users spoke less, clocking just 503 minutes.
The total number of telephone subscribers in India edged up marginally to 1,200.80 million, a limp 0.13 per cent rise. But while wireline made a surprising comeback with a 9.62 per cent jump (now at 37.04 million users), mobile telephony lost ground. Wireless subscribers fell by 1.74 million, a 0.15 per cent dip with a sharper 8.5 million drop for mobile-only users (excluding 5G FWA). Overall wireless teledensity slipped to 82.42 per cent.
Interestingly, rural areas clung on rural subscriptions rose 0.15 per cent to 534.69 million. But rural teledensity inched down from 59.19 to 59.06 per cent. Urban teledensity, meanwhile, dropped more steeply from 133.72 to 131.45 per cent.
India’s mobile data addiction shows no signs of slowing. Wireless data users grew 2.87 per cent to 939.51 million, and total data consumed soared to 2,28,779 petabytes, a 17.46 per cent rise. Revenues from this data deluge? A cool Rs 2.15 lakh crore up 15.49 per cent from last year.
Telecom’s gross revenue hit Rs 3.72 lakh crore, up 10.72 per cent. while adjusted gross revenue (agr) rose 12.02 per cent to Rs 3.03 lakh crore. Pass-through charges, however, slid 1.31 per cent to Rs52,879 crore.
Spectrum usage charges (suc) and licence fees went up too by 13.02 and 12.02 per cent, respectively. Access services, basically what we all use made up a commanding 83.65 per cent of agr.
It’s not just telecom that got a review. The broadcasting scene had its own drama. India had 918 satellite TV channels licensed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as of March 2025, with 908 available for downlinking. But pay DTH is losing fans, subscribers dropped to 56.92 million from 61.97 million a year ago, while Doordarshan’s free DTH carried on as usual.
In radio, the number of operational private FM stations stayed flat at 388 across 113 cities. But a shuffle at the top saw six channels from Digital Radio (Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata) merge into South Asia FM Ltd. The number of private radio operators is now 33, down from 36.
Meanwhile, community radio keeps spreading its voice. The grassroots network now boasts 531 stations up from 494 the year before.
The Indian telecom space is talking, streaming, and spending more, but it’s also shifting gears. Data is king, mobile’s golden days might be levelling off, wireline’s having a mini-renaissance, and DTH seems to be heading the way of the landline.
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NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
