India’s Telecom Sector Sees Significant Growth in Internet and Broadband Subscribers
In a recent announcement, the Centre revealed that India has witnessed a substantial increase in internet and broadband subscribers over the past year. According to data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the country added 7.3 crore internet subscribers and 7.8 crore broadband subscribers, bringing the total number of telephone subscribers to 119.9 crore.
The total number of internet subscribers in India rose from 88.1 crore in March 2023 to 95.4 crore in March 2024, representing an annual growth rate of 8.3 percent. Similarly, broadband services also experienced a positive trend, with the number of broadband subscribers increasing from 84.6 crore to 92.4 crore during the same period.
„This robust growth rate of 9.15 percent, coupled with a significant addition of 7.8 crore broadband subscribers, highlights the importance of high-speed connectivity in today’s digital age,“ stated the telecom regulatory body.
The adjusted gross revenue (AGR) in the telecom sector also saw a rise from Rs 2,49,908 crore in the year 2022-23 to Rs 2,70,504 crore in the year 2023-24, reflecting a yearly growth rate of 8.24 percent.
Furthermore, the overall tele-density in India increased from 84.51 percent in March 2023 to 85.69 percent in March 2024, with an annual growth rate of 1.39 percent. The number of wireless data subscribers also saw a significant increase, rising from 84.6 crore to 91.3 crore during the same period, with a yearly growth rate of 7.93 percent.
The TRAI data also revealed that the total volume of wireless data usage surged from 1,60,054 PB (petabyte) in the year 2022-23 to 1,94,774 PB in the year 2023-24, marking a yearly growth of 21.69 percent. Additionally, the number of telephone subscribers in India grew from 117.2 crore to 119.9 crore, registering a yearly growth rate of 2.3 percent.
The average minutes of usage (MOUs) per subscriber per month also witnessed an increase from 919 in the year 2022-23 to 963 in 2023-24, with a yearly growth rate of 4.73 percent.
In conclusion, the telecom sector in India has shown remarkable progress in terms of internet and broadband penetration, wireless data usage, and overall subscriber base. These developments underscore the growing importance of high-speed connectivity in driving digital transformation and economic growth in the country.