Wireless data revenue rises 22% to Rs 1.74 trn in FY23, teledensity down

Revenue from wireless data usage in the country increased by about 22 per cent to Rs 1.74 lakh crore in the financial year 2022-23, a report by telecom regulator Trai said on Tuesday.

According to the report, the revenue from wireless data services was Rs 1.43 lakh crore in the financial year 2021-22.

"Total revenue from wireless data usage increased from Rs 1,43,169 crore in the year 2021-22 to Rs 1,74,144 crore in the year 2022-23 with yearly rate of growth of 21.63 per cent," Trai's Yearly Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report for the year 2022-23 said.

The increase in wireless data revenue usage was mainly on account of growth in user base as telecom operators are yet to monetise 5G data services that were launched in October 2022.

The gross revenue of telecom service providers increased by 19.94 per cent to over Rs 3.33 lakh crore in FY'23 from Rs 2.78 lakh crore in FY'22.

However, the adjusted gross revenue (AGR), based on which the government calculates its levies, grew 14.17 per cent on year-on-year basis to Rs 2.49 lakh crore from Rs 2.18 lakh crore a year ago.

Government collections in the form of licence fee increased by 13.2 per cent to Rs 19,954 crore in FY'23 from Rs 17,627 crore a year ago.

The yearly spectrum usage charges decreased by about one-third, 29.75 per cent, to Rs 4,968 crore in FY'23 from Rs 7,072 crore in FY'22.

The total telephone subscriber base increased to 117.2 crore in FY'23 from 116.69 crore a year ago.

"However, the overall tele-density in India declined from 84.88 per cent at the end of March 2022 to 84.51 per cent at the end of March 2023 at yearly rate of decline by 0.44 per cent," the report said.

While there was about 1 per cent increase in telephone subscription in urban areas to 65.37 crore, the tele-density, which is measured on the basis of connections per thousand people, declined marginally by 0.84 per cent to 133.81 per cent in FY'23 from 134.94 per cent a year ago.

In rural areas, both telecom subscriber base and tele-density declined.

Rural telephone subscription decreased by 0.23 per cent to 51.86 crore at the end of March 2023 from 51.98 crore at the end of March 2022.

"Rural tele-density also decreased from 58.07 per cent at the end of March 2022 to 57.71 per cent at the end of March 2023 with yearly rate of decline 0.61 per cent," the report said.