India’s telecom subscribers cross 1.23 billion as Jio tightens grip

NEW DELHI: India’s total telephone subscriber base hit 1.23 billion at the end of October 2025, up 2.44 million from the previous month, according to data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The overall tele-density—the number of connections per 100 people—now stands at 86.76 per cent, with urban areas at 134.66 per cent and rural regions at 59.72 per cent.

Wireless subscribers dominate the landscape at 1.18 billion, registering a monthly growth of 0.19 per cent. Urban wireless subscriptions increased from 647.47 million to 647.82 million, whilst rural areas saw a modest bump from 534.85 million to 536.80 million. The share of urban and rural subscribers in the total wireless base stood at 54.69 per cent and 45.31 per cent respectively.

The big story in October was Vodafone Idea’s catastrophic subscriber loss. The beleaguered operator shed a staggering 20.367 million users, the steepest monthly decline amongst all access service providers. In stark contrast, Reliance Jio added 1.43 million subscribers, cementing its position as India’s largest mobile operator with 504.93 million users—a commanding 41.36 per cent market share.

Bharti Airtel came in second with 302.62 million subscribers and a 24.79 per cent market share, followed by Vodafone Idea at 127.22 million (10.42 per cent) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam at 34.39 million. The top five providers now control 99.99 per cent of the wireless market.

In the broadband segment, total subscribers reached 999.81 million in October, up 4.18 million from September’s 995.63 million—a monthly growth of 0.42 per cent. Fixed wireless access led the charge with a 7.04 per cent monthly jump, whilst mobile wireless connections grew a more modest 0.31 per cent. Fixed wired access subscriptions rose 0.94 per cent.

Reliance Jio dominated broadband as well, with 508.34 million subscribers, followed by Bharti Airtel at 312.53 million and Vodafone Idea at 127.22 million. The top five broadband providers held 98.50 per cent of the market.

Wireless subscriber numbers jumped from 1.17 billion in September to 1.18 billion in October. Within this, 5G fixed wireless access users increased from 9.40 million to 9.91 million, with urban subscribers at 5.81 million and rural at 4.10 million. The urban share of 5G fixed wireless subscribers stood at 58.66 per cent.

In October, 15.05 million subscribers requested mobile number portability. The number of active wireless subscribers on the date of peak visitor location register stood at 1.09 billion. Most licensed service areas showed growth in wireless subscribers during October, barring Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal, Mumbai, Kolkata, Uttar Pradesh (West), Gujarat and Delhi.

The wireline segment grew from 46.61 million in September to 46.75 million in October, a 0.30 per cent monthly increase. Overall wireline tele-density rose marginally from 3.287 per cent to 3.294 per cent. Urban wireline tele-density stood at 8.16 per cent and rural at 0.55 per cent on 31 October. Urban subscribers comprised 89.36 per cent of total wireline users, with rural subscribers at 10.64 per cent.

Private access service providers held 92.08 per cent of the wireless market share, whilst public sector undertakings—BSNL, MTNL and state-owned APSFL—together controlled 7.92 per cent. In the wireline segment, the split was 79.78 per cent private and 20.22 per cent public.

The data underscores the brutal consolidation sweeping through India’s telecom sector, with Vodafone Idea’s precipitous decline raising fresh questions about the sustainability of a three-player market. For Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, the path to dominance has never looked clearer.