Telecom: Broadband base shrinks, urban growth slows in September 2024

India’s telecom industry reported mixed performance in September 2024, with the broadband subscriber base shrinking by 0.51% to 944.40 million, while overall telephone subscriptions fell to 1,190.66 million.

As per the latest TRAI data, urban tele-density remained robust at 131.86%, but rural areas lagged at 58.48%. Reliance Jio continued to dominate with a 50.61% share of the broadband market, even as mobile broadband witnessed a decline.

The latest telecom subscription data, as of September 30, 2024, reveals significant trends across broadband, urban, and rural telecommunication sectors in India.

The Indian telecom sector experienced a mixed trend. While the wired and fixed wireless segments reported growth, the mobile subscriber base saw a slight contraction.

Wired broadband subscribers grew by 1.83%, reaching 43.63 million. Fixed wireless users, including Wi-Fi and Wi-Max, rose significantly by 9.01%, totaling 0.99 million. However, mobile broadband users declined by 0.63%, settling at 899.79 million. 

India’s total telephone subscriber base, combining wireless and wireline users, reached 1,190.66 million. Urban subscribers stood at 662.15 million, marking a monthly decline of 0.66%, while rural subscribers fell by 0.93% to 528.51 million. The country’s overall tele-density dropped slightly to 84.69%, with urban areas maintaining a high tele-density of 131.86% compared to 58.48% in rural regions. 

Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. maintained its leadership in the broadband market with a commanding 50.61% share and 477.94 million subscribers. Bharti Airtel Ltd. followed with a 30.20% share and 285.17 million subscribers. The top five providers collectively control 98.42% of the market, underscoring the concentrated nature of the industry. 

In September 2024, 13.32 million subscribers submitted mobile number portability (MNP) requests, bringing the cumulative total to an impressive 1,039.11 million since its inception. 

Peak activity recorded 1,059.97 million active wireless users, reflecting continued strong engagement in the wireless segment.