Mobile subscribers grow modestly in June to 1.16 bn, rural subscribers dip

India's mobile subscriber base increased 0.17% in June, led by urban growth; rural users declined slightly while Jio and Airtel gained market share

The total number of mobile subscribers in the country increased by 0.17 per cent month-on-month to 1.16 billion at the end of 30 June, including a slight uptick in wireless subscriptions in urban areas—from 630.42 million on 31 May to 633.14 million on 30 June—according to data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai).

 

Overall, the number of mobile and fixed wireless access subscribers rose from 1.16 billion at the end of 31 May to 1.17 billion as of 30 June, the data showed.

 

“The subscription in rural areas decreased from 533.51 million to 533.00 million during the same period. The monthly growth rate of urban and rural wireless subscriptions was 0.47 per cent and -0.10 per cent, respectively. The wireless tele-density in India increased from 82.63 per cent at the end of May 2025 to 82.74 per cent at the end of June 2025. The urban wireless tele-density increased from 124.91 per cent at the end of May 2025 to 125.31 per cent at the end of June 2025,” Trai said.

   

As of 30 June, private telecom players held a 92.2 per cent share of the wireless mobile subscriber market, while state-run telcos Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), and two other public sector unit access service providers held a combined share of only 7.8 per cent.

 

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio Infocomm continued to gain market share, adding 1.91 million subscribers during June, while Sunil Bharti Mittal’s Bharti Airtel added 763,482 mobile subscribers in the same month.

 

State-run BSNL and MTNL lost 305,766 and 152,657 subscribers, respectively, during June, while debt-laden Vodafone Idea (Vi) lost a total of 217,816 mobile subscribers.