India’s internet subscriber base rises to 1.11 billion in June quarter
Broadband users cross 1.08 billion as mobile data consumption and telecom revenues continue to grow
NEW DELHI— India’s total internet subscriber base rose to 1.114 billion at the end of the June 2026 quarter from 1.093 billion three months earlier, registering a quarterly growth of 1.96 per cent, according to data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Monday.
The increase was driven by continued expansion in broadband connectivity and wireless internet adoption across the country, reflecting the growing use of digital services and mobile data.
Of the total internet subscribers, 1,066.43 million accessed the internet through wireless connections, while 47.73 million were wired internet subscribers.
The internet subscriber base comprised 1,087.50 million broadband users and 26.67 million narrowband users. Broadband subscriptions grew 2.03 per cent during the quarter from 1,065.88 million in March 2026, while narrowband subscriptions declined marginally by 0.89 per cent.
The figures underline the continued dominance of broadband services in India’s expanding internet market.
Telephone subscriber base crosses 1.34 billion
TRAI said India’s overall telephone subscriber base increased 1.31 per cent during the quarter to 1,348.08 million at the end of June 2026, compared with 1,330.58 million in March.
The country’s tele-density, which measures the number of telephone connections per 100 people, improved to 94.31 per cent from 93.26 per cent over the same period.
Wireless services remained the principal driver of subscriber growth. The total wireless subscriber base, including mobile and fixed wireless access (FWA) users, increased by 17.92 million to 1,300.25 million.
The mobile subscriber base alone grew by 16.66 million to 1,282.38 million. Wireless tele-density also improved to 90.96 per cent from 89.88 per cent in the preceding quarter.
The growth highlights the central role of wireless networks in expanding access to telecommunications services across India.
Wireless ARPU rises as data realisation declines
The report also pointed to an improvement in average revenue per user (ARPU), indicating continued growth in revenue generated by wireless telecom services.
Monthly average ARPU for wireless services increased 1.19 per cent sequentially to Rs 187.12 in the June quarter. On a year-on-year basis, wireless ARPU rose 3.11 per cent.
Prepaid subscribers generated an average monthly ARPU of Rs 200.72, while postpaid users recorded an average of Rs 114.26.
However, average revenue realisation per gigabyte of wireless data declined 5.07 per cent to Rs 7.13 during the quarter.
The contrasting trends indicate that while average revenue per wireless subscriber increased, operators earned less per unit of data consumed.
Mobile data traffic jumps 8.3 per cent
Data consumption maintained strong momentum during the quarter, supported by an expanding subscriber base and rising average usage.
The number of wireless data subscribers increased to 1,045.55 million at the end of June from 1,026.75 million in the previous quarter.
Total mobile data traffic surged 8.3 per cent to 84,424 petabytes during the quarter, reflecting the growing volume of internet activity across wireless networks.
Average monthly data consumption per subscriber rose to 28.39 GB from 26.70 GB in the preceding quarter.
The increase in usage points to the growing importance of mobile connectivity for digital communication, online services and other data-intensive activities.
Telecom sector revenues record growth
TRAI’s report also showed an increase in the telecommunications industry’s revenue during the June quarter.
Gross Revenue (GR) stood at Rs 1.07 lakh crore, while Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) reached Rs 88,796 crore.
On a year-on-year basis, Gross Revenue grew 10.5 per cent, Applicable Gross Revenue (ApGR) increased 9.52 per cent and Adjusted Gross Revenue rose 9.19 per cent.
The revenue growth, alongside rising subscriber numbers and data consumption, highlights the continued expansion of India’s telecommunications market.
Overall, the June-quarter figures show that India’s internet ecosystem continues to grow in scale, with broadband subscriptions, wireless connectivity and data usage expanding alongside improvements in telecom revenues and average revenue per user. (Source: IANS)
