Wireless Tele-density increases to 82.42% in Mar-25

Ministry of Communications stated in a latest update that the total number of Internet subscribers decreased from 970.16 million at the end of Dec-24 to 969.10 million at the end of Mar-25, registering a quarterly rate of decline 0.11%. Out of 969.10 million internet subscribers, number of Wired Internet subscribers are 41.41 million and number of Wireless Internet subscribers are 927.70 million.

The Internet subscriber base is comprised of Broadband Internet subscriber base of 944.12 million and Narrowband Internet subscriber base of 24.98 million. The broadband Internet subscriber base decreased by 0.09% from 944.96 million at the end of Dec-24 to 944.12 million at the end of Mar-25. The narrowband Internet subscriber base decreased from 25.20 million at the end of Dec-24 to 24.98 million at the end of Mar-25.

Wireline subscribers decreased from 39.27 million at the end of Dec-24 to 37.04 million at the end of Mar-25 with a quarterly rate of decline 5.67%. This decrease is due to the accounting of 5G FWA subscribers in wireless category. On Y-O-Y basis, wireline subscriptions increased by 9.62% at the end of QE Mar-25.

Wireline Tele-density decreased from 2.79% at the end of Dec-24 to 2.62% at the end of Mar-25 with quarterly rate of decline 5.88%. Monthly Average Revenue per User (ARPU) for wireless service increased by 0.64%, from Rs.181.80 in QE Dec-24 to Rs.182.95 in QE Mar-25. On Y-O-Y basis, monthly ARPU for wireless service increased by 19.16% in this quarter.

The ARPU per month for the pre-paid segment is Rs.182.53 and the ARPU per month for the post-paid segment is Rs.187.48 for Q.E. Mar-2025. On an all-India average, the overall MOU per month Increased by 1.64% from 1009 in Q.E. Dec 2024 to 1026 in Q.E. Mar 2025. Prepaid MOU per subscriber is 1074 and Postpaid MOU per subscriber per month is 514 in QE Mar-25.

Gross Revenue (GR), Applicable Gross Revenue (ApGR) and Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) of Telecom Service Sector for the Q.E. Mar-25 has been Rs.98,250 Crore, Rs.92,618 crore and Rs.79,226 Crore respectively. GR increased by 1.93%, ApGR increased by 0.30% and AGR increased by 1.66% in Q.E. Mar-25, as compared to previous quarter. The Y-O-Y rate of growth in GR, ApGR and AGR in Q.E. Mar-25 over the same quarter in last year has been 11.74%, 10.33% and 12.44% respectively.

Pass Through Charges decreased from Rs.14,410 Crore in QE Dec-24 to Rs.12,982 Crore in QE Mar-25 with quarterly rate of decline by 9.91%. The Y-O-Y rate of decline 3.71% has been recorded in pass-through charges for QE Mar-25. The License Fee increased from Rs.6,234 Crore for the QE Dec-24 to Rs.6,340 Crore for the QE Mar-25. The quarterly and the Y-O-Y rates of growth in license fees are 1.69% and 12.46% respectively in this quarter.
The number of total telephone subscribers in India increased from 1,189.92 million at the end of Dec-24 to 1,200.80 million at the end of Mar-25, registering a rate of growth 0.91% over the previous quarter. This reflects Year-On-Year (Y-O-Y) rate of growth 0.13% over the same quarter of the last year. The overall Tele-density in India increased from 84.45% as in QE Dec-24 to 85.04% as in QE Mar-25.

Telephone subscribers in Urban areas increased from 662.72 million at the end of Dec-24 to 666.11 million at the end of Mar-25 and Urban Tele-density also increased from 131.37% to 131.45% during the same period. Rural telephone subscribers increased from 527.20 million at the end of Dec-24 to 534.69 million at the end of Mar-25 and Rural Tele-density also increased from 58.29% to 59.06% during the same period. Out of the total subscription, the share of Rural subscription increased from 44.31% at the end of Dec-24 to 44.53% at the end of Mar-25.

With a net addition of 13.10 million subscribers during the quarter, the total wireless (mobile+5G FWA) subscriber base increased from 1150.66 million (Mobile) at the end of Dec-24 to 1163.76 million (mobile+5G FWA) at the end of Mar-25, registering a rate of growth 1.14% over the previous quarter. On Y-O-Y basis, wireless (mobile+5G FWA) subscriptions decreased at the rate of 0.15% during the year. Wireless Tele-density increased from 81.67% (mobile) at the end of Dec-24 to 82.42% (mobile+5G FWA) at the end of Mar-25 with quarterly rate of growth of 0.92%.

With a net addition of 6.33 million subscribers during the quarter, the wireless (mobile) subscriber base increased from 1150.66 million at the end of Dec-24 to 1156.99 million at the end of Mar-25, registering a rate of growth 0.55% over the previous quarter. On Y-O-Y basis, wireless (mobile) subscriptions decreased at the rate of 0.73% during the year. Wireless (mobile) Tele-density increased from 81.67% at the end of Dec-24 to 81.94% at the end of Mar-25 with quarterly rate of growth of 0.33%.

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