India’s telecom sector has experienced a revolutionary upheaval over the past 7 years, spurred by the disruptive entry of Reliance Jio. This telecom giant has successfully penetrated untapped rural markets, primarily driven by the launch of 4G feature phones with high-speed internet. Interestingly, India’s telephone subscribers reached 1185.73 million by the end of November 2023, representing approximately 83% of the nation’s total population.
Although the growth percentages in telecom subscribers (wireless and wireline) might seem marginal at 1.33% YoY and 0.29% MoM, the real story lies in the substantial numerical increase – 15.56 million (1.56 crore) new subscribers annually and 3.42 million (34.22 lakh) monthly.
What’s particularly fascinating is that broadband services accounted for a whopping 75.6% of the total telephone subscribers in India in November 2023, as per the latest data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
Let’s take a deeper look into India’s telecom market, particularly the broadband segment.
Top 5 Broadband Service Providers in India
- The number of broadband subscribers in India increased 8.63% YoY in November 2023 to 896.61 million. However, the monthly growth is less than 1%, i.e. 0.94%.
- A whopping 95.7% of Indian broadband subscribers accessed the service through mobile devices like phones and dongles, reaching 857.98 million by the end of November 2023. Approximately 0.83 million subscribers used Fixed Wireless services, which include technologies such as Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, Point-to-Point Radio, and VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal).
- India’s top five broadband service providers are Reliance Jio with 465.97 million, Bharti Airtel with 262.35 million, Vodafone Idea with 126.64 million, BSNL with 24.65 million and Atria Convergence (branded as ACT) with 2.21 million.
- With a 51.97% share, Reliance Jio dominated the broadband service market (wireless and wireline) in India in November 2023. Bharti Airtel follows this with a 29.26% share, Vodafone Idea with a 14.12% share, BSNL with a 2.75% share, and Atria Convergence aka ACT with a 0.25% share.
- In the wireless broadband sector, Reliance Jio Infocom Ltd maintains a commanding presence with 455.82 million subscribers. Bharti Airtel follows with 255.07 million, Vodafone Idea with 126.63 million, BSNL with 20.85 million, and Intech Online Pvt. Ltd. with 0.24 million.
Growth in Reliance Jio Mobile Subscribers
Reliance Jio continues to assert its dominance in the Indian telecom sector, showcasing remarkable growth in just one month between October and November 2023. During this period, Jio saw an impressive addition of 35.76 lakh (3.58 million) subscribers, encompassing both wireless and wired connections. This surge propelled the overall number of Jio users in India to an unprecedented 46.66 crore (466.62 million) by the end of November 2023.
Specifically in the wireless segment, Jio added 34.47 lakh (3.45 million) new mobile subscribers during the 30 days ending on November 30, 2023, reaching a total count of 45.58 crore (455.82 million). Bharti Airtel, a close rival, welcomed about 17.47 lakh (1.75 million) new wireless subscribers during the same month, bringing its total to 37.99 crore (379.88 million).
On the contrary, Vodafone Idea lost nearly 10.73 lakh (1.07 million) mobile subscribers in just one month ending November 30, 2023, resulting in 22.44 crore (224.42 million) subscribers.
The shifting dynamics in the Indian telecom sector highlight fierce competition among the top three service providers, with Reliance Jio notably gaining ground. The substantial increase in Jio’s subscriber base, as witnessed between October and November 2023, underscores its effective strategy in capturing market share from rivals. This highlights the evolving landscape of India’s telecom industry, where Reliance Jio is positioned as a frontrunner in the ongoing battle for dominance.
