India’s broadband landscape witnessed a marginal decline in total subscriptions during the March 2025 quarter, according to the latest TRAI report. The number of broadband subscribers fell from 944.96 million in December 2024 to 944.12 million in March 2025.
Key Trends and Insights:
Total Broadband Subscribers:
Broadband users stood at 944.12 million, comprising 41.39 million wired and 902.74 million wireless connections.
Mobile devices (phones + dongles) accounted for 95.1 percent of all broadband subscribers.
Leading Service Providers (Wired + Wireless):
The top five operators together serve over 90 percent of the market:
Reliance Jio: 476.58 million
Bharti Airtel: 289.31 million
Vodafone Idea: 126.41 million
BSNL: 34.57 million
Atria Convergence: 2.29 million
Wired Broadband Segment:
Reliance Jio led the wired broadband market with 11.48 million subscribers and a 27.73 percent share, followed by Bharti Airtel at 8.55 million and 20.67 percent share.
Wireless Broadband Segment:
Reliance Jio maintained its dominance with 465.10 million subscribers and 51.52 percent share, while Bharti Airtel held a 31.10 percent share with 280.76 million subscribers.
Top Broadband Regions:
The top five states in broadband adoption were:
Maharashtra – 78.21 million
Uttar Pradesh (East) – 77.01 million
Bihar – 72.29 million
Andhra Pradesh – 71.10 million
Madhya Pradesh – 66.13 million
Internet Access Overview:
Total Internet Subscribers: 969.10 million
Narrowband Subscribers: 24.98 million
Urban vs Rural Split:
Urban: 561.42 million
Rural: 407.69 million
Penetration Rate:
National: 68.6 per 100 population
Urban: 110.79
Rural: 45.03
Other Highlights:
Public Wi-Fi Hotspots: 55,052
Data Consumed via Hotspots: 14,329 TB
Internet Telephony Usage: 70.90 million outgoing minutes
Overall, while broadband adoption remains high, the marginal dip suggests market saturation and possibly seasonal or economic influences. Wireless remains the dominant mode of access, driven by mobile-first usage and aggressive 4G/5G expansion by major players.
Rajani Baburajan
