India’s telecom industry saw a small but notable rise in subscribers during October, according to the latest numbers released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Reliance Jio continued to lead the market, adding 1.997 million new users for the month. BSNL also posted steady gains with 0.269 million new additions, while Vodafone Idea (Vi) once again struggled, losing 0.2083 million wireless subscribers.
How the Operators Performed
TRAI’s data shows that the country’s total wireless subscriber base — which includes both mobile users and Fixed Wireless Access connections — grew by 0.19 percent month over month. Jio’s pace of additions eased slightly compared to the previous month, but it still outperformed every other operator. With its latest growth, Jio’s total wireless user base rose to around 484.7 million, marking a 0.41 percent rise.
Bharti Airtel also strengthened its position. The company added 1.252 million new users, pushing its total wireless subscriber count to 393.7 million. Airtel’s overall market share now stands at 33.59 percent.
Overall Market Trends
Vi continued to face the biggest challenges in the sector. Its subscriber count slipped to about 200.7 million, and its market share dropped to 17.13 percent. On the other hand, BSNL and MTNL together maintained a stable presence, holding around 7.92 percent of the market.
India’s overall wireless subscriber base grew from 1182.32 million at the end of September 2025 to 1184.62 million by the end of October 2025. Interestingly, the growth was largely driven by rural India. While urban subscriptions dipped slightly from 640.17 million to 639.99 million, rural connections increased from 530.27 million to 531.88 million, highlighting continued momentum in underserved regions.
