India’s Internet Subscriber Base Crosses 1.11 Billion; Prepaid ARPU Tops ₹200: TRAI

India had 1,114.17 million internet subscribers at the end of June 2026, up 1.96% from 1,092.79 million at the end of March, according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report for the April–June quarter, released on 12 October.

Broadband subscriptions rose 2.03% to 1,087.50 million, while narrowband connections fell 0.89% to 26.67 million, Devdiscourse reported from the report. Wireless networks carry almost all of that access: 1,066.43 million internet subscribers, against 47.73 million on wired connections.

Prepaid now earns more than postpaid

The report puts monthly average revenue per user (ARPU) at ₹200.72 for prepaid customers and ₹114.26 for postpaid. That is notable because postpaid plans have traditionally been regarded as the higher-value segment.

Blended monthly wireless ARPU rose 1.19% quarter on quarter to ₹187.12, from ₹184.91 in the March quarter, and 3.11% year on year, according to the report’s executive summary as reproduced by World Trade Scanner.

The urban–rural gap persists

Internet penetration stood at 77.94 subscriptions per 100 people nationally, but 129.03 in urban areas against 49.07 in rural India. Rural areas accounted for 41.24% of telephone subscriptions, down slightly from 41.47% in March. Wireline telephone subscriptions declined 0.88% quarter on quarter to 47.82 million.

Why it matters

ARPU is the number telecom investors watch most closely, and steady gains suggest recent tariff increases are holding. For media and streaming businesses, a broadband base of more than 1.08 billion connections is the addressable market for mobile-first video, micro-dramas and connected-TV services.

The quarterly figures follow TRAI’s monthly data showing the country’s overall telecom subscriber base reached 1.33 billion in March.