The latest telecom news includes announcements on India surpasses 100 crore Internet users, Bangladesh approves unified telecom licensing policy, AirtelTigo, Telecel Ghana, among others.
India Surpasses 100 Crore Internet Users, Driven by Wireless Growth
India’s internet subscribers rose from 96.91 crore in March 2025 to 100.28 crore by June 30, 2025, marking a 3.48 percent increase. Wired users stood at 4.47 crore and wireless at 95.81 crore. Broadband subscribers reached 97.97 crore, while narrowband was at 2.31 crore. Urban areas had 57.94 crore users and rural areas 42.33 crore. Wireless Average Revenue per User (ARPU) was ₹186.62 per month, with average monthly usage at 16.76 hours or 1,006 minutes. Data consumption averaged 24.01 GB per month per wireless subscriber, with revenue per GB at ₹8.51. Wireless subscribers, including mobile and 5G Fixed Wireless Access, increased by 71.20 lakh to 117 crores, a 0.61 percent growth, while mobile-only subscribers rose by 60 lakhs to 116 crores, a 0.52 percent growth, IANS reports.
Bangladesh Reshapes Telecom Sector with Unified Licensing Policy
The Bangladesh government has approved the Telecommunications Network and Licensing Policy 2025, reducing 26 licence categories with 3,299 licences to three types. The new categories are: International Connectivity Service Providers (ICSPs), responsible for voice, data, internet, and peering services, with all international traffic routed through Bangladesh to prevent revenue loss and illegal connections; Access Network Service Providers (ANSPs), handling local voice and data interconnection with options for consortium-based operations, while previous NIX licences are discontinued but peering continues; and Infrastructure and Service Support Providers, covering shared facilities such as fiber, towers, and data centers. Operators including Grameenphone expressed support for the unified licensing structure, while International Gateway operators raised concerns over potential risks to local firms and investments, Business Standard reports.
Ghana Merges Telecom Giants to Strengthen Sector and Cut Losses
Ghana’s government has approved the merger of AT (formerly AirtelTigo) and Telecel Ghana to strengthen the telecom sector and stop losses. The move is designed to reduce costs, eliminate duplication, and create a stronger operator in the market. Over 3.2 million AT subscribers have already been migrated to Telecel’s network through national roaming, with a 98 percent successful transition rate. The merger will be completed in three phases: technical migration, staff alignment by the end of September, and commercial restructuring within 120 days. All 300 permanent AT employees will retain their positions. The merged operator requires $600 million in funding over four years, which will be sourced from spectrum sales and additional investments from Telecel and other partners.
Shafana Fazal
