The Indian telecom sector has experienced remarkable growth over the past financial year, according to the annual report released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
The report, which is based on data provided by service providers, highlights significant increases across several key parameters, underscoring the sector’s dynamic expansion during 2023-2024.
Internet and Broadband Subscriber Growth
The most notable surge has been in the internet and broadband subscriber base.
The total number of internet subscribers in India grew from 88.1 crore at the end of March 2023 to 95.4 crore by the end of March 2024, marking a robust annual growth rate of 8.30%.
This translates to an addition of 7.3 crore new internet subscribers in just one year.
Broadband services also continued their impressive upward trajectory, with the number of broadband subscribers increasing from 84.6 crore in March 2023 to 92.4 crore in March 2024.
This growth rate of 9.15% reflects the addition of 7.8 crore new broadband subscribers, highlighting the rising demand for high speed connectivity across the country.
Telephone density and Data Consumption
The report also revealed an increase in India’s telephone density, which climbed from 84.51% at the end of March 2023 to 85.69% by March 2024, marking an annual growth rate of 1.39%.
The total number of telephone subscribers grew from 117.2 crore to 119.9 crore during the same period, reflecting a 2.30% increase.
Data consumption has seen an exponential rise, with the number of wireless data subscribers increasing from 84.6 crore at the end of March 2023 to 91.3 crore by March 2024, growing at a rate of 7.93%.
The total volume of wireless data usage surged by 21.69%, from 1,60,054 PB in 2022-23 to 1,94,774 PB in 2023-24, highlighting the country’s increasing reliance on digital services.
Revenue and Usage Metrics
Financially, the sector also performed well, with the Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) rising from ₹2,49,908 crore in 2022-23 to ₹2,70,504 crore in 2023-24, representing an 8.24% growth.
Additionally, the average minutes of usage (MOUs) per subscriber per month increased from 919 minutes in 2022-23 to 963 minutes in 2023-24, a 4.73% increase, indicating higher engagement levels among users.
