Telecom Report : What TRAI Says About India’s Mobile and Internet Usage
As per the latest report released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The report highlights rising mobile connections, growing internet usage, and increased interest in services like broadband and Mobile Number Portability (MNP), showing how deeply connected the country has become.
Growth in Subscribers
By the end of December 2024, India had a total of 1.19 billion telephone subscribers, which includes both mobile and landline users. This shows a monthly increase of 2.78 million users compared to November 2024. Most of the growth came from cities, while rural areas saw a slight drop in numbers. The tele-density (number of phones per 100 people) in the country rose to 84.45%, with Delhi having the highest at over 274% and Bihar the lowest at around 56%.
Mobile (Wireless) Subscribers
Mobile users in India reached 1.15 billion, growing by about 2 million in one month. Urban areas gained new users, while rural areas had a small decline. Around 92% of all mobile users were active, meaning their phones were in regular use. The top mobile providers were Reliance Jio (465 million users), Bharti Airtel (280 million), and Vodafone Idea (126 million). Together, private companies served nearly 92% of all wireless users, while public companies like BSNL and MTNL had a smaller share.
Landline (Wireline) Connections
Interestingly, landline users also increased—from 38.5 million in November to 39.27 million in December. This marks a 1.99% growth in just one month, showing that many users, especially in cities, are still relying on wired connections for internet and communication. Most of the wired subscribers were in urban areas, with Reliance Jio, Airtel, and BSNL leading the segment.
Internet and Broadband Usage
India’s broadband user base reached 944.96 million, with a small but steady growth. This includes both wired broadband (41.19 million) and wireless broadband (903.78 million) users. Reliance Jio continues to dominate with 476 million broadband users, followed by Airtel with 289 million. Together, the top five service providers held more than 98% of the market share, making them the backbone of India’s digital access.
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Indian users continue to switch their service providers without changing their numbers using MNP. In December alone, 13.85 million requests were submitted. So far, over 1.08 billion people have used this service. The highest number of MNP requests came from Uttar Pradesh (East) and Madhya Pradesh, proving how much people value flexibility and better service options.
Rise of M2M (Machine-to-Machine) Connections
The report also shows an increase in M2M mobile connections used in smart devices like cars, meters, and IoT gadgets. These went up from 57.5 million to 59.09 million in December. Airtel led this market, with over 50% share, followed by Vodafone Idea, Reliance Jio, and BSNL.
India’s telecom growth story reflects the country’s increasing reliance on digital communication, smartphones, and broadband internet. Urban areas are leading this surge, though rural regions are catching up fast. The growing number of MNP requests, rise in broadband usage, and even the increase in landline connections all point toward a digitally active and connected India.
