TRAI Data: Jio and Airtel Gain 9 Lakh Users in July, Vodafone Idea and BSNL See Declines

In July 2025, India’s telecom sector showed minimal growth as Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel added over 9 lakh new subscribers combined, according to TRAI. Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea and BSNL continued shedding users, with the overall subscriber base rising only slightly.

Jio and Airtel Lead Subscriber Gains in July

Reliance Jio added 4.82 lakh users, and Bharti Airtel followed closely with 4.64 lakh new subscribers during July 2025. Together, the private telcos outpaced state-run and struggling rivals in net additions. In stark contrast, Vodafone Idea lost 3.59 lakh users, and BSNL recorded a decline of 1 lakh subscribers, reflecting continued customer migration towards dominant players.

Marginal Rise in Wireless Subscriber Base

India’s total wireless user base edged up from 1,163.03 million in June to 1,163.51 million in July, representing a slim growth of 0.04%. Although the uptick is mild, it underscores the competitive edge that Jio and Airtel are maintaining over others in the segment. The urban user base rose from 633.14 million to 636.02 million, while rural markets saw a dip with users decreasing from 529.88 million to 527.49 million.

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Urban vs Rural Tele-Density Trends

TRAI’s data revealed that India’s overall mobile tele-density declined slightly from 82.18% in June to 82.16% in July. Urban tele-density saw a minor increase, rising to 124.75%, while rural tele-density slipped to 58.20%. These figures signify the continued digital divide between urban and rural regions.

Market Share and MNP Dynamics

The private telecom operators Jio, Airtel, and Vi together commanded a robust 92.21% share of the market. On the other hand, public sector telcos BSNL and MTNL contributed only 7.79%. The month also witnessed 15.41 million Mobile Number Portability (MNP) requests, with 8.77 million recorded in Zone-I (north and west) and 6.63 million in Zone-II (south and east).

Conclusion

The July 2025 telecom data reaffirms the sustained dominance of Jio and Airtel in India’s mobile landscape, while Vodafone Idea and BSNL continue their downward trajectory. As urban markets grow and rural ones recede slightly, user dynamics suggest an increasing consolidation under private operators.

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