Airtel Tops Mobile Additions in February; Jio Holds Wireless Base Leadership

In February 2026, Bharti Airtel emerged as the leader in terms of wireless mobile subscriber additions, as disclosed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Meanwhile, Reliance Jio continued to dominate as the largest wireless operator in India. 

Subscriber Growth in February 2026 

Airtel made significant gains by adding approximately 4.86 million wireless mobile subscribers, strengthening its foothold in the telecom market. Despite this, Jio maintained its position as the largest operator with 493.11 million subscribers.  

Airtel followed with 472.65 million users. Vodafone Idea's growth remained minimal with an increase of just 21,927 subscribers, while BSNL experienced a decline, losing around 1,01,824 users. 

Rural and Urban Contributions 

India's total wireless subscriber base grew by 6.97 million, bringing the total to 1.273 billion. This increase was predominantly driven by urban areas, which contributed 5.08 million new subscribers, while rural regions added 1.89 million users.  

The growth in subscriber base illustrates the ongoing expansion of telecom networks across urban and rural India. 

High Activity Levels in the Wireless Base 

The number of active wireless mobile subscribers reached 1.178 billion, accounting for 93.66% of the total wireless mobile base of 1.257 billion.  

Bharti Airtel reported the highest activity level, with 99.42% of its users actively engaged on the network. Reliance Jio stood close behind with an active user rate of 98.35%, while Vodafone Idea and BSNL trailed with 85.24% and 57.34% respectively. 

Read More: Bharti Airtel Share Price Surges; Announces $1 Billion Nxtra Investment Led by Alpha Wave, Carlyle! 

Broader Telecom Market and Broadband Scenario 

The broader telecom market saw total telephone subscribers rise by 7.31 million to 1.321 billion, with the majority of the increase attributed to wireless connections.  

The broadband segment showed positive trends with total subscribers rising to 1.059 billion by the end of February from 1.053 billion in January.  

Reliance Jio led this segment with 519.64 million broadband users, while Airtel and Vodafone Idea had 364.14 million and 129.36 million respectively. 

Conclusion 

February 2026 saw significant movements in the Indian mobile telecom sector, with Airtel gaining substantial subscribers and Jio maintaining its leadership in the wireless base. Urban regions again played a considerable role in expanding India's subscriber base, reflecting continued urban-centric growth within the telecom industry. 

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