How many telephone connections does India have?

India had 1,360.70 million telephone subscribers at the end of August 2026: 1,312.25 million wireless and 48.45 million wireline, per TRAI. The wireless count includes machine-to-machine and fixed wireless connections.

How many broadband connections does India have?

India had 1,101.21 million broadband subscribers at the end of August 2026, up from 1,094.48 million at the end of July 2026, per TRAI. Without machine-to-machine connections, the count was 1,010.28 million.

How many mobile users are active?

TRAI counted 1,207.59 million active wireless (mobile) subscribers in August 2026, measured on each operator's busiest network day (peak VLR).

Sector

Telecommunication sector explained

Companies that run mobile and fixed-line phone and internet networks, own telecom towers, or make telecom equipment and cables.

For learning only. Cityfort is not a SEBI-registered adviser and does not recommend buying or selling any security. Prices shown are dated and may be out of date.

Companies we cover

1 company in Telecommunication

Bharti Airtel
BHARTIARTL
Bharti Airtel sells mobile, broadband and TV services to 482.4 million customers in India and 183.5 million in Africa, with revenue of ₹210,973 crore in FY26.
Data depth: RichCovers Q1 FY27

How companies in this sector earn

How do Telecommunication companies make money?

Mobile operators earn monthly bills and prepaid recharges from users, mostly for data and calls.
Revenue per user rises when operators raise tariffs or users move to costlier plans.
Tower companies rent space on their towers to operators under long contracts.
The biggest costs are spectrum (airwaves bought at government auctions), network equipment, power for towers and licence fees.

Who regulates it

Department of Telecommunications (DoT) · Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) · Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT)

What moves results across the sector

Tariff changes announced by the large mobile operators.
Spectrum auctions and payment terms set by the Department of Telecommunications.
Monthly subscriber data from TRAI, including active mobile users and broadband connections.

Words you'll meet

Key terms

ARPU: Average revenue per user: what an operator earns from each customer in a month.
Spectrum: Radio frequencies that operators buy from the government at auctions to carry calls and data.
AGR (adjusted gross revenue): The revenue figure on which operators pay licence fees and spectrum charges to the government.
Churn: The share of customers who leave an operator in a period.
Tele-density: Telephone connections per hundred people in an area.

Key facts

Telecommunication in numbers

How many telephone connections does India have?: India had 1,360.70 million telephone subscribers at the end of August 2026: 1,312.25 million wireless and 48.45 million wireline, per TRAI. The wireless count includes machine-to-machine and fixed wireless connections. (Source: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI))
How many broadband connections does India have?: India had 1,101.21 million broadband subscribers at the end of August 2026, up from 1,094.48 million at the end of July 2026, per TRAI. Without machine-to-machine connections, the count was 1,010.28 million. (Source: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI))
How many mobile users are active?: TRAI counted 1,207.59 million active wireless (mobile) subscribers in August 2026, measured on each operator's busiest network day (peak VLR). (Source: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI))

Sources

Highlights of Telecom Subscription Data at the end of August 2026 (Press Release No. 125/2026), Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), 28 Sep 2026

Last updated 25 Oct 2026.

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