The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today released its “Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report” for the quarter ending March 31, 2025, painting a dynamic picture of the nation’s telecom, internet, cable TV, DTH, and radio broadcasting sectors. The report underscores a clear shift towards wireless services, with robust revenue growth in this segment even as wired subscriptions decline.
According to the comprehensive quarterly snapshot, while India’s total internet subscriber base saw a marginal dip of 0.11% from 970.16 million in December 2024 to 969.10 million by March 2025, the underlying trends reveal significant shifts. The wireless segment remains the powerhouse, boasting 927.70 million users, starkly contrasting the 41.41 million users on wired services. Broadband subscriptions experienced a slight decrease from 944.96 million to 944.12 million, while narrowband subscriptions also edged down to 24.98 million.
A notable finding in the report is the sharp fall in wired subscribers, which decreased by 5.67% from 39.27 million to 37.04 million. This decline is primarily attributed to the migration of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) subscribers into the wireless category. This reclassification highlights the growing adoption of FWA as a viable alternative to traditional wired broadband, especially in areas where fiber deployment might be slower. Despite the slight internet subscriber dip, the overall voice tele-density in the country climbed from 84.45% to 85.04%, largely driven by continued additions in the wireless segment.
Financially, the telecom sector demonstrated healthy momentum. The wireless Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) saw a positive increase, reaching ₹182.95, up 0.64% from December 2024 and an impressive over 19% year-over-year. Monthly voice usage also continued its upward trend, averaging 1,026 minutes per subscriber.
The sector’s overall revenue figures reflect this positive trajectory:
- Gross Revenue (GR) reached ₹98,250 crore, marking a 1.93% increase.
- Applicable Gross Revenue (ApGR) stood at ₹92,618 crore, with a 0.30% gain.
- Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) reached ₹79,226 crore, showing a 1.66% increase.
These figures underscore the robust financial health of India’s telecom ecosystem, buoyed by consistent subscriber engagement and the rising ARPU in the wireless domain.
TRAI’s March report also confirmed that quality-of-service benchmarks are being met consistently across the board. Wireless providers achieved an impressive ≥98% call-setup success rate and maintained ≤0.5% congestion, while fixed broadband services adhered to crucial latency and packet-drop standards.
Beyond telecom, the report also provided insights into the broadcasting and cable segments. As of March 2025, there were 918 private satellite TV channels licensed, reflecting a diverse content landscape. The number of active pay-DTH subscribers registered 56.92 million, a slight decrease from 58.22 million in December 2024. This marginal dip in DTH subscribers could indicate a shift towards OTT platforms or other content consumption methods.
In the radio broadcasting space, 388 private FM radio stations remained operational across 113 cities. Collectively, these stations earned ₹466.63 crore in advertising revenue, a slight drop from ₹500.11 crore in the prior quarter.
In conclusion, TRAI’s latest report clearly illustrates that India’s telecom growth is firmly rooted in the expanding wireless segment, driven by increasing ARPU and the reclassification of 5G FWA users. While internet penetration remains high, the decline in wired services signifies an evolving consumer preference and a strategic shift in network deployment. The overall ecosystem continues its steady expansion, with healthy revenue trends and robust quality standards positioning India’s telecom sector for sustained growth.
Key Highlights:
- TRAI’s March 2025 report shows India’s telecom growth is primarily driven by the wireless segment, with 927.70 million wireless internet users compared to 41.41 million wired.
- Wired subscriber numbers declined by 5.67% to 37.04 million, largely due to the reclassification of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) users into the wireless category.
- Wireless ARPU increased by 0.64% to ₹182.95 (up >19% YoY), contributing to overall telecom revenue gains, with gross revenue at ₹98,250 crore.
- Quality of service benchmarks were met across wireless and fixed broadband, while pay-DTH subscriptions saw a slight decline and private FM radio ad revenue decreased marginally.