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According to a report from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released on Monday, India's telecom subscriber base reached 1.197 billion in February 2024, reflecting a 0.38% increase from January. This growth was observed in both urban (663.7 million) and rural areas (531.3 million), with month-on-month growth rates of 0.40% and 0.34%, respectively.
Similarly, the total number of broadband subscribers increased from 911 million in January to 916.7 million by the end of February, as indicated by TRAI's monthly subscriber report.
The top five service providers accounted for 98.35% of the total broadband subscribers, with Reliance Jio Infocomm leading at 52.2%, followed by Bharti Airtel (29.41%), Vodafone Idea (13.80%), BSNL (2.69%), and Atria Convergence (0.24%).
The report also highlighted growth across all circles in both wireline and wireless segments in February.
The wireline subscriber base increased to 33.1 million by the end of February, with a month-on-month growth rate of 1.73%.
The modest growth in India's subscriber base suggests a maturing market. Future growth is likely to be driven by several factors:
Rollout of 5G services: The anticipated rollout of 5G services promises faster speeds and improved network capacity, potentially attracting new subscribers and driving data consumption.
Data plan affordability: Continued efforts to make data plans more affordable can lead to increased mobile internet penetration, particularly in rural areas.
Rural internet expansion: Initiatives to bridge the digital divide by expanding internet services in rural areas are crucial for subscriber base growth and overall digital inclusion.
The competitive landscape amongst telecom operators is expected to intensify with the factors mentioned above.
This competition is likely to benefit consumers through potentially more competitive pricing and service bundles.
India's telecom sector continues to evolve, with a focus on both subscriber base growth and service quality improvement.
While growth has slowed, the increasing adoption of broadband and the anticipated rollout of 5G services suggest a dynamic future for the industry.
With continued emphasis on affordability and rural connectivity, the Indian telecom landscape is poised for further development and increased accessibility for its vast population.