India’s wireless subscriber base expanded in December 2025, but the gains were concentrated largely with Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, while Vodafone Idea Ltd and state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) continued to see subscriber erosion, according to operator-wise data released yesterday by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

As per an ANI report, Bharti Airtel emerged as the biggest gainer during the month, adding 5.42 million wireless subscribers. Reliance Jio followed with a net addition of around 2.96 million users. The growth for both private operators was spread across multiple licensed service areas, reflecting sustained momentum in their mobile businesses.

In contrast, Vodafone Idea reported a net loss of nearly 9.4 lakh wireless subscribers in December, extending the trend of declining user numbers seen over the past several months. BSNL also remained under pressure, losing about 2.06 lakh wireless subscribers during the month. While the public sector operator recorded marginal gains in a few circles, its overall wireless subscriber base continued to shrink.

Taken together, all operators added a net 7.23 million wireless subscribers in December. TRAI data showed that India’s overall telephone subscriber base, including wireless and wireline connections, increased to 1.306 billion as of December 2025, registering a monthly growth rate of 0.66 per cent. The expansion was primarily driven by the wireless segment, which continued to account for the bulk of new additions.

The total number of wireless subscribers, including mobile and fixed wireless access (FWA), rose to 1.258 billion, with a net addition of 8.21 million users during the month. Wireless tele-density improved to 88.41 per cent, though the gap between urban and rural areas remained stark, with urban tele-density at 140.66 per cent compared to 59.07 per cent in rural regions.

The wireline segment also recorded modest growth. Wireline subscribers increased from 47.05 million in November to 47.37 million in December, reflecting a monthly growth rate of 0.68 per cent. Urban areas continued to dominate this segment, while rural wireline penetration stayed relatively low.

In broadband, total subscribers crossed the one-billion mark to reach 1,007.35 million by the end of December. Mobile wireless broadband remained the dominant mode of access, while 5G fixed wireless access subscribers grew by 5.59 per cent month-on-month, indicating a gradual but steady uptake of next-generation broadband services.

The TRAI report also highlighted continued churn in the mobile market. During December 2025, around 16.12 million subscribers submitted Mobile Number Portability requests, underlining the intense competition among telecom operators.