Airtel, Jio Lead Subscriber Growth as Vi, BSNL Lose Users in December 2025

India’s mobile market witnessed steady growth in December 2025, but the benefits were unevenly distributed.

While Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio strengthened their positions with fresh subscriber additions, Vodafone Idea and BSNL continued to face sustained losses, reflecting ongoing consolidation in the sector.

Airtel, Jio Drive Market Expansion

According to data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Bharti Airtel added 5.42 million wireless subscribers during December, emerging as the biggest gainer. Reliance Jio followed closely, registering a net addition of nearly 2.96 million users.

These gains were spread across multiple telecom circles, underlining the two operators’ strong nationwide presence and expanding customer base. Together, Airtel and Jio accounted for the bulk of new wireless connections during the month.

Vodafone Idea, BSNL See Continued Erosion

In contrast, Vodafone Idea recorded a net loss of around 9.4 lakh subscribers, extending its long-running trend of customer attrition. Financial stress and competitive pressures have continued to weigh on the operator’s performance.

State-owned BSNL also reported a decline of about 2.06 lakh wireless subscribers. Despite modest gains in select circles, its overall subscriber base kept shrinking, reflecting challenges in upgrading networks and retaining users.

Wireless Growth, Rising Churn Shape Telecom Landscape

Overall, India added 7.23 million net wireless subscribers in December 2025. The total telephone subscriber base, including wireless and wireline users, rose to 1.306 billion, registering a monthly growth of 0.66 per cent.

Wireless subscriptions, including mobile and fixed wireless access (FWA), climbed to 1.258 billion, with a net addition of 8.21 million users. Wireless tele-density improved to 88.41 per cent, though a sharp gap persisted between urban areas (140.66 per cent) and rural regions (59.07 per cent).

The wireline segment posted modest growth, rising to 47.37 million subscribers. Meanwhile, broadband connections crossed the one-billion mark, reaching 1,007.35 million, driven largely by mobile broadband usage. Notably, 5G FWA subscribers grew by 5.59 per cent month-on-month, indicating gradual adoption of next-generation services.

TRAI data also highlighted sustained market churn. Around 16.12 million subscribers submitted Mobile Number Portability requests in December, reflecting intense competition and frequent switching among operators.

(With inputs from ANI)