Regulators
India’s telecom base crosses 1.314 billion mark in January 2026
Wireless adds 7.57m to hit 1.266bn, broadband surges past 1.052bn as Jio leads, MNP at 15.98m.
MUMBAI: Ring the changes, India’s telecom sector is off the hook! While the rest of us were busy scrolling through reels, the nation quietly dialled up another blockbuster month of connections, pushing the total telephone subscriber base to a staggering 1.314 billion as of 31 January 2026. That’s a breezy net addition of 7.86 million in just 30 days enough to fill a small city with new SIMs overnight.
The real hero of the story? Wireless. It climbed to 1,266.34 million, adding a cool 7.57 million users at a steady 0.60 per cent monthly growth. Urban wireless jumped 0.77 pr cent to 725.67 million, while rural added 2.98 million to reach 540.67 million. Even after stripping out machine-to-machine (M2M) links, the active wireless (mobile) subscriber count on peak Visitor Location Register day stood at 1,172.10 million, a whopping 93.70 per cent of the 1,250.89 million total wireless mobile base. Bharti Airtel takes the crown here with a near-perfect 99.64 per cent VLR proportion, proving its customers are actually using their phones, not just hoarding them.
Broadband, meanwhile, is having its own glow-up. Total broadband subscribers crossed the magical 1,052.72 million mark, up 2.12 million (0.20 per cent) from December 2025. Break it down and the story gets even tastier: fixed wired access (DSL, FTTx, cable) grew a healthy 0.83% to 45.83 million, fixed wireless access (5G FWA, Wi-Fi, satellite) shot up a sizzling 5.77 per cent to 15.95 million, and mobile wireless (handset/dongle 3G/4G/5G/M2M) nudged 0.09 per cent higher to 990.95 million. In plain English, India is going wireless-first, and fast.
Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. continues to own the broadband throne with 517.56 million subscribers, that’s a commanding 49.16 per cent market share. Bharti Airtel follows at 359.29 million (34.13 per cent), Vodafone Idea at 128.97 million (12.25 per cent), BSNL at 29.64 million, and Atria Convergence Technologies at 2.38 million. Together, these top five command a dizzying 98.59 per cent of the entire broadband pie. On the fixed-wired side alone, Jio still leads with 13.99 million, followed by Airtel (10.38 million), BSNL (4.47 million), Atria (2.38 million) and Kerala Vision (1.46 million) together holding 71.30 per cent. In wireless broadband (FWA + mobile), Jio’s 503.57 million, Airtel’s 348.91 million and Vodafone Idea’s 128.97 million make the top three almost untouchable at 99.98 per cent combined.
Even the old-school wireline segment refused to be left on hold. It grew 0.61 per cent to 47.66 million, adding 0.29 million net subscribers. Urban wireline sits at 42.59 million (89.36 per cent share), rural at 5.07 million. Private players dominate with 80.60 per cent market share; PSUs (BSNL, MTNL, APSFL) hold the remaining 19.40 per cent. Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio led net additions here too, adding 209,890 and 179,166 lines respectively, while MTNL and BSNL saw small declines.
The numbers that really make you pause? Tele-density figures. Overall, India now boasts 92.22 per cent tele-density (including M2M). Urban areas are practically saturated at 149.84 per cent, while rural has climbed to 59.83 per cent, proof that the digital divide is shrinking, one village tower at a time. Delhi LSA leads the pack at a jaw-dropping 359.98 per cent, Bihar trails at 62.49 per cent. Without M2M, the national figure dips to 84.26 per cent, but the message stays loud and clear, India is more connected than ever.
Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) deserves its own spotlight. 5G FWA subscribers jumped to 11.53 million (urban 5.83 million, rural 5.70 million), while UBR FWA stood at 3.92 million. M2M cellular connections, the silent workhorses powering smart meters and IoT grew to 113.46 million, with Bharti Airtel holding a massive 70.18 million (61.85 per cent share), followed by Jio (20.60 million), Vodafone Idea (18.8 million) and BSNL (3.88 million).
Mobile Number Portability (MNP) requests hit 15.98 million in January 8.97 million from Zone-I and 7.02 million from Zone-II. UP (East) led with 2.33 million, followed by UP (West) at 1.59 million in the north and Madhya Pradesh (1.52 million) plus Bihar (1.44 million) in the south/east. People are clearly shopping around for better deals.
Circle-wise, every category (A, B, C and Metro) posted positive net additions in both wireline and wireless segments. Circle A added 2.79 million wireless and 88,736 wireline, Circle B added 2.69 million wireless and 151,789 wireline. Yearly growth remains impressive too: wireless up 6.92 per cent nationally, wireline up 36.06 per cent. Only Kolkata LSA saw a tiny wireless dip; everywhere else, the green arrows were glowing.
So what does all this mean for the average Indian? More choices, faster 5G FWA rollouts in rural homes, cheaper data plans thanks to fierce competition, and a nation where your phone is no longer a luxury, it’s the default way to live, work, learn and stay connected. The lines are busier, the signals stronger, and India’s telecom story is far from over. In fact, it’s just getting started and the next billion connections are already dialling in.
I&B Ministry
Akashvani opens airwaves to creative talents with fresh programme proposals
India’s public broadcaster invites creators to pitch new audio content for 2026
NEW DELHI: India’s iconic public service broadcaster, Akashvani, is tuning into a new frequency of creativity. In a move to spruce up its audio offerings, Prasar Bharati has officially invited independent producers, production houses, and content creators to pitch fresh programme proposals for the national network.
The Notice Inviting Programme Proposals (NIPP) aims to diversify the broadcaster’s “programme bouquet” by sourcing high-quality, innovative audio content from external experts. Whether you are a storyteller or a music maestro, the airwaves are officially open for business.
Akashvani is looking for a variety of audio flavours to keep listeners hooked. The wish list includes:
Radio dramas and plays: Engaging series that bring stories to life.
Audio features: Documentaries and innovative audio formats.
Digital-first content: Podcasts and modern storytelling series.
Music and knowledge: Classical, folk, and light music, alongside quiz competitions.
The programmes, which can be in Hindi, English, or various regional languages , must be delivered in “bite-sized” episodes of either 14 or 28 minutes.
Creators can choose from three distinct partnership models:
Revenue sharing mode (RSM): A collaborative approach where production costs are borne by the creator, and advertising revenue is split. If the producer handles the marketing, they keep a 70% share; if Akashvani takes the lead, the producer receives 65%.
Sponsored mode: Perfect for those with their own brand backing. Producers pay a fee and receive free commercial time to promote their sponsors.
Gratis mode: For creators looking to reach a massive audience without financial exchange.
Don’t reach for the microphone just yet. All proposals will be grilled by an Evaluation Committee based on a strict 100 point scoring matrix. Judges will be looking at creative treatment, script quality, sound design, and the “commercial potential” of the idea. Only those scoring 75 marks or higher will make the cut.
Once an agreement is signed with the Prasar Bharati head of programme , successful applicants must maintain a healthy “episode bank” to ensure the show goes on without a hitch.
Hopefuls have until 31 May 2026 to submit their ideas. Proposals should be sent via email to the respective Nodal Office or Cluster Head. All content must strictly adhere to the AIR Broadcast Code and the Commercial Advertising Code of All India Radio.
This initiative marks a significant step for Prasar Bharati as it seeks to blend traditional broadcasting with modern, regional, and innovative audio trends. For those with a story to tell or a song to share, it is time to give the public a reason to listen.
