India’s telecommunications sector continued its steady expansion in March 2026, adding 9.28 million subscribers to take the total number of telephone users in the country to 1,330.58 million. The latest data reflects a monthly growth rate of 0.70 per cent, underlining the sector’s resilience and continued demand across both urban and rural markets.

According to an ANI report, the growth was largely driven by the wireless segment, which added 9.02 million new subscribers during the month, while wireline services contributed a comparatively modest increase of 0.25 million users. The data, released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, highlights how mobile connectivity continues to remain the backbone of India’s telecom expansion.

The broadband segment also marked a significant milestone, with the total subscriber base reaching 1,065.88 million. This includes both wired and wireless connections and reflects a monthly addition of 6.83 million users. Among service providers, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. maintained its leadership with 523.44 million subscribers, followed by Bharti Airtel Ltd. at 368.84 million and Vodafone Idea Ltd. with 128.91 million users. The report noted that broadband subscriptions grew at a rate of 0.65 per cent compared to February.

A closer look at geographical trends shows that urban areas accounted for 778.79 million telephone subscribers, while rural India reached 551.79 million. Interestingly, rural growth in the wireless segment slightly outpaced urban expansion in percentage terms. Rural wireless subscriptions rose by 0.74 per cent, adding 4.04 million users, while urban areas saw a 0.68 per cent increase with 4.98 million additions. Overall wireless subscribers rose to 1,282.33 million by the end of March.

The market structure remains heavily skewed towards private players, with the top five broadband providers accounting for 98.60 per cent of the market share. Apart from the top three, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. held 27.37 million broadband subscribers, while Atria Convergence Technologies Ltd. reported 2.40 million. In the wireless space, private operators dominated with a 92.64 per cent share, leaving public sector players like BSNL and MTNL with a combined 7.36 per cent.

Tele-density across the country also saw an uptick, reaching 93.26 per cent at the end of March. Urban tele-density stood at 151.47 per cent, reflecting multiple device usage among city populations, while rural tele-density was recorded at 60.46 per cent. Excluding machine-to-machine (M2M) connections, the national tele-density stood at 84.57 per cent, indicating steady but uneven digital penetration across regions.

The latest numbers reinforce the continued momentum in India’s telecom story, driven by mobile-first consumption, expanding broadband access, and increasing connectivity across rural markets.