Regulators
Indian telecom services performance indicator report for the quarter July-September 2022
Mumbai: Telecom Regulatory Authority Of India (Trai) has released the “Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report” for the Quarter ending September 30, 2022.
This Report provides a broad perspective of the telecom services in India and presents the key parameters and growth trends of the telecom services as well as cable TV, DTH & radio broadcasting services in India for the period covering July 1 2022 to September 30, 2022 compiled mainly on the basis of information furnished by the service providers.
The total number of Internet subscribers increased from 836.86 million at the end of June 2022 to 850.95 million at the end of September 2022, representing a 1.68 per cent quarterly growth rate.
There are 30.82 million wired internet subscribers and 820.13 million wireless internet subscribers out of 850.95 million internet subscribers.
The Internet subscriber base is made up of 815.93 million broadband Internet subscribers and 35.01 million narrowband Internet subscribers.
By the end of September 2022, there were 815.93 million broadband Internet subscribers, up 1.87 per cent from 800.94 million at the end of June 2022.
From 35.92 million at the end of June 2022 to 35.01 million at the end of September 2022, the narrowband Internet user base decreased by 2.52 per cent .
At the end of September 2022, there were 26.47 million wireline customers, up from 25.57 million at the end of June 2022. This represents a quarterly growth rate of 3.54 percent and an annual growth rate of 14.43 per cent.
With a quarterly growth rate of 3.31 percent, wireline tele-density climbed from 1.86 percent at the end of June 2022 to 1.92 per cent at the end of September 2022.
When comparing QE June 2022 to QE September 2022, the monthly average revenue per user (ARPU) for cellular services increased by 2.81 per cent, from Rs 133.55 to Rs 137.31. The monthly ARPU for wireless service climbed by 26.96 per cent on a year over year basis this quarter.
While the monthly ARPU for prepaid services rose from Rs 128.61 in QE June 2022 to Rs 132.91 in QE September 2022, the monthly ARPU for postpaid services fell from Rs 197.55 in QE June 2022 to Rs 192.50 in QE September 2022.
On average across all of India, the monthly MOU per subscriber fell from 914 in QE June 2022 to 894 in QE September 2022, a 2.14 per cent decline.
Monthly Prepaid MOU subscribers fell from 936 in QE June 2022 to 920 in QE September 2022. Additionally, the monthly Postpaid MOU per subscriber fell from 621 in QE June 2022 to 567 in QE September 2022.
For the Q.E. September 2022, the telecom service sector’s gross revenue (GR), applicable gross revenue (ApGR) and adjusted gross revenue (AGR) were respectively Rs 83,767 crore, Rs 74,713 crore, and Rs 61,981 crore, respectively. When compared to the prior quarter, GR climbed by 9.63 per cent , ApGR increased by 1.24 per cent , and AGR increased by 2.40 per cent in Q.E. September 22.
AGR and GR both increased year over year in Q.E. September 2022 compared to the same quarter in the previous year by 15.83 per cent and 24.47 per cent , respectively.
There were 1,171.92 million telephone users in India at the end of September 2022, down from 1,172.96 million at the end of June 2022, representing a reduction of 0.09 per cent from the previous quarter.
This represents a 1.45 per cent Year On Year (Y-O-Y) drop rate compared to the same quarter the previous year. Additionally, India’s overall tele-density fell from 85.13 per cent in QE June 2022 to 84.86 per cent in QE September 2022.
Telephone subscribers in urban areas increased from 649.09 million at the end of June 2022 to 651.61 million at the end of September 2022 however, urbanteledensity decreased from 134.72 per cent to 134.62 per cent during the same period.
Rural telephone subscribers decreased from 523.27 million at the end of June 2022 to 520.30 million at the end of September 2022 and rural Tele-density also decreased from 58.46 per cent to 58.01 per cent during the same period.
Out of the total subscription, the share of rural subscription decreased from 44.66 per cent at the end of June 2022 to 44.40 per cent at the end of September 2022
The overall wireless subscriber base fell from 1,147,39 million at the end of June 2022 to 1,145,45 million at the end of September 2022, representing a reduction rate of 0.17 per cent over the prior quarter, due to a net loss of 1.94 million members during the quarter.
Wireless subscriptions declined at a rate of 1.76 per cent on a year over year basis. With a quarterly fall rate of 0.39 per cent, wireless tele density fell from 83.27 per cent at the end of June 2022 to 82.94 per cent at the end of September 2022.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has granted permission for uplinking alone, downlinking only or both uplinking and downlinking for a total of about 885 private satellite TV stations.
Out of the 872 allowed satellite TV channels that are accessible for downlinking in India, according to the reporting completed by broadcasters in accordance with the Tariff Order dated March 3, 2017, as amended, 353 satellite pay TV channels will be available as of September 30, 2022. 254 of the 353 pay channels on satellite TV are standard definition, while 99 are high definition.
Indian DTH (direct-to-home) services have seen amazing growth since the DTH industry was introduced in the year 2003. In the country on September 30, 2022, there were 4 pay DTH service providers.
As of QE 30 September 2022, Pay DTH had approximately 65.58 million total active subscribers. This is in addition to the DD Free Dish subscribers (free DTH services of Doordarshan).
Regulators
India eyes digital leap with major public Wi-Fi expansion plan
TRAI seeks to bridge the digital divide by boosting high-speed hotspots nationwide
NEW DELHI: India is gearing up for a significant digital makeover as the nation’s telecoms watchdog unveils an ambitious roadmap to blanket the country in high-speed Public Wi-Fi. In a comprehensive consultation paper released on 27th April 2026, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has signalled that it is time to turn the “missing link” of connectivity into a robust bridge for the digital economy.
The initiative aims to solve a persistent puzzle: while India boasts some of the world’s lowest mobile data tariffs, network congestion in crowded cities and patchy coverage in rural heartlands continue to hamper the “Digital India” dream. By shifting heavy data traffic from mobile networks to high-capacity Public Wi-Fi, officials hope to offer a smoother, more reliable experience for everything from remote work to telemedicine.
The proposal suggests that high-quality broadband is the essential engine behind secure, real-time digital interactions between the Government and its citizens. By treating Public Wi-Fi as a vital utility, much like water or electricity, the nation aims to support the next generation of technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality.
The paper highlights that despite the 2020 launch of the PM-WANI framework, which allowed small shopkeepers to become “Public Data Offices” (PDOs), the country has yet to hit its target of 10 million hotspots. To fix this, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is looking at international success stories. From South Korea’s government-led model to the market-driven approach of the United Kingdom, India is searching for the perfect blend of public support and private enterprise.
One of the key hurdles identified is the trust deficit. Many users perceive Public Wi-Fi as a security risk, but the report argues that with modern encryption like WPA3 and secure login methods, these networks can be just as safe as private ones. The new plan explores advanced authentication methods to make connecting as simple as a single tap while ensuring robust data protection.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is also urging local municipal bodies to play a bigger part by allowing Wi-Fi equipment on street furniture like lamp posts and bus stops. With the digital economy projected to contribute nearly 20 per cent of India’s Gross Value Added by 2030, the push for ubiquitous Wi-Fi is seen as a vital investment in the nation’s future.
As the consultation period opens, the message from New Delhi is clear: the future of India’s internet is not just mobile, it is shared, scalable, and most importantly, everywhere. Stakeholders have until 25th May 2026 to share their views on how to turn these wireless ambitions into a nationwide reality.
