India’s telecom subscriber base climbs to 1.348 billion in June as broadband connections cross 1 billion
India added nearly five million telephone subscribers in June 2026, taking the total base to 1.348 billion, while broadband connections crossed the one-billion mark, reflecting continued digital connectivity growth.
Wireless services remained the primary growth driver, adding 5.79 million subscribers during the month, while wireline connections declined by 0.81 million.
NEW DELHI: India’s telecom sector continued its steady expansion in June 2026, with the total number of telephone subscribers increasing to 1.348 billion after a net addition of 4.98 million users during the month. The latest telecom subscription data also showed broadband connectivity crossing the one-billion mark, underlining the country’s accelerating digital transformation.
According to the Ministry of Communications, India had 1,300.25 million wireless subscribers and 47.82 million wireline subscribers at the end of June 2026, taking the combined telephone subscriber base to 1,348.08 million. Wireless services remained the primary growth driver, adding 5.79 million subscribers during the month, while wireline connections declined by 0.81 million.
Broadband subscriptions, including machine-to-machine (M2M) cellular mobile connections, reached 1,087.50 million. Even after excluding M2M connections, the country had more than one billion broadband subscribers at 1,001.50 million, highlighting the growing adoption of high-speed internet services across India.
Urban India continued to account for the larger share of telecom users, with 792.06 million subscribers, while rural India had 556.01 million subscribers. Urban areas added 4.36 million subscribers during June compared with a net addition of 0.62 million in rural regions. Urban subscribers constituted 58.76 per cent of the country’s total telecom base, while rural subscribers accounted for 41.24 per cent.
The wireless segment recorded a monthly growth rate of 0.45 per cent in overall subscriptions, whereas the wireline segment registered a decline of 1.67 per cent. Overall telephone subscriptions grew by 0.37 per cent during the month, reflecting sustained demand for mobile connectivity despite the continued contraction in fixed-line services.
India’s overall tele-density, including M2M cellular mobile connections, stood at 94.31 per cent at the end of June. Urban tele-density remained significantly higher at 153.43 per cent, while rural tele-density stood at 60.89 per cent, underscoring the continuing gap in telecom penetration between urban and rural India. Excluding M2M connections, the country’s overall tele-density was 84.88 per cent.
The report also indicated robust customer activity in the mobile services market. During June 2026, 14.78 million subscribers submitted requests for mobile number portability (MNP), reflecting continued competition among telecom service providers. Meanwhile, the number of active wireless subscribers, measured through the peak Visitor Location Register (VLR), stood at 1,201.06 million.
The telecom subscription figures are based on data submitted by telecom service providers (TSPs) to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and provide a snapshot of the country’s expanding digital communications ecosystem. The continued growth in wireless and broadband subscribers reinforces India’s progress towards universal digital connectivity, even as the wireline segment faces persistent challenges.
