Indian Telecom Market Sees Sustained Growth in Wireless Segment

Synopsis:Airtel, Jio or Vi, which telecom powerhouse surged ahead of the competition to dominate subscriber growth in September 2025? India’s total telecom subscriber base expanded to 1,228.94 million at the end of September 2025, reflecting a monthly growth of 0.36 percent, according to the latest data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The rise was primarily driven by sustained momentum in the wireless segment, which continues to be the backbone of India’s communications ecosystem. The number of wireless subscribers, encompassing mobile and fixed wireless access users, increased to 1,182.32 million in September from 1,178.03 million in August, marking a gain of 4.29 million connections during the month. Reliance Jio, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited, was founded in 2016 and has since emerged as one of India’s most dominant digital and telecom companies. It operates the world’s largest LTE and VoLTE networks and is among the pioneers in rolling out 5G technology across the country. Reliance Industries with a market capitalization of Rs. 20,12,481.67 crore, closed at Rs. 1487.15 on 28th October, 2025. Reliance Jio continued to lead the Indian telecom market in September 2025, recording a net addition of 3.25 million wireless mobile subscribers, the highest among all operators during the month. This increase pushed Jio’s total wireless subscriber base to approximately 482.70 million. Jio also maintained leadership in the broadband category, holding more than a 50 percent market share with about 505.47 million users. The company witnessed steady growth in its fixed wireless access (FWA) business, with 5G FWA subscribers reaching 7.08 million and unlicensed band radio (UBR) FWA connections climbing to 2.48 million by the end of September. Its proportion of active users (VLR) remained strong at 97.77 percent, underscoring high engagement. Bharti Airtel is a leading global telecommunications company serving over 600 million customers across India, Africa, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. As India’s largest integrated communications service provider, Airtel’s portfolio spans 4G/5G mobile services, broadband, enterprise connectivity, digital payments, cloud, cybersecurity, IoT, and infrastructure services through Indus Towers. Bharti Airtel with a market capitalization of Rs. 11,92,025.12 crore, closed at Rs. 2090.50 on 28th October 2025. In September 2025, Airtel maintained its steady growth trajectory, adding 437,000 new mobile subscribers during the month. The company’s total wireless subscriber base reached approximately 392.41 million. Airtel also ranked second in the broadband segment with an estimated 31 percent market share and 310.42 million subscriptions. In the fixed wireless category, Airtel continued to expand its 5G FWA base, which rose to 2.32 million users. The company reported one of the industry’s highest levels of active mobile users at 99.17 percent, reflecting strong customer engagement and consistent service quality across its network. Vodafone Idea Limited, jointly owned by the Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone, is India’s third-largest telecom provider offering voice, data, and enterprise connectivity services across 2G, 3G, and 4G networks. The company serves a nationwide user base with a focus on improving network experience and service reach. Vodafone Idea with a market capitalization of Rs. 1,02,276 crore closed at Rs. 9.44 as on 28th October 2025. Vodafone Idea faced another challenging month in September, witnessing a net subscriber loss of 744,000 mobile users. Its total wireless subscriber base fell to around 202.81 million by the end of the month. In the broadband space, Vi retained the third position with a 13 percent market share, accounting for roughly 127.78 million users, significantly trailing both Jio and Airtel, reflecting the operator’s ongoing struggles in network competitiveness and customer retention. Written by – Manan Gangwar The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies ontradebrains.inare their own, and not that of the website or its management. Investing in equities poses a risk of financial losses. Investors must therefore exercise due caution while investing or trading in stocks. Trade Brains Technologies Private Limited or the author are not liable for any losses caused as a result of the decision based on this article. Please consult your investment advisor before investing.