India's telecom subscriber base reaches 1.3B in February
What's the story
India's telecom sector continued its growth trajectory in February 2026, with the total subscriber base reaching a whopping 1,321.31 million. The data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) shows that the industry added 7.31 million subscribers during the month, reflecting a steady monthly growth rate of 0.56%. The surge was mainly driven by the growing broadband segment as digital adoption continues to deepen across India.
Subscriber growth
Broadband segment continues to boom
The number of broadband subscribers rose from 1,052.72 million in January to 1,059.05 million in February, highlighting the continued growth of data consumption and digital services across urban and rural markets. In the competitive broadband space, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. led with 519.64 million subscribers followed by Bharti Airtel Ltd., Vodafone Idea Ltd., and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL). The top five service providers accounted for a whopping 98.60% of the market share indicating its consolidated nature.
Tele-density growth
Wireless tele-density on the rise
Wireless tele-density also increased from 88.87% at the end of January to 89.30% in February. Urban areas showed much higher penetration at 142.32%, while rural subscriptions stood at a healthy 542.56 million, showing steady digital inclusion beyond metro regions. Private telecom operators continued to dominate with a whopping 92.59% market share while public sector players BSNL and MTNL held onto their shares with a combined 7.41%.
Market dynamics
Highlights on wireline subscribers
The report also highlighted that the market share of the top five broadband service providers stood at a dominant 98.60%. In terms of wireline subscribers, Reliance Jio led with 14.10 million users followed by Bharti Airtel and BSNL. The wireless segment had a whopping 1,273.31 million subscribers with urban centers accounting for 730.75 million connections while rural subscriptions reached an impressive 542.56 million during this period.