Reliance Jio added the highest number of wireless mobile subscribers among Indian telecom operators in August 2026, gaining nearly 2.40 million users, followed by Bharti Airtel with about 2.11 million additions, according to data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Monday, 28 September 2026. India’s total wireless subscriber base crossed 1.31 billion during the month, continuing a long streak of steady month-on-month growth in the country’s telecom market.
The data, released as part of TRAI’s routine monthly disclosure, also showed Vodafone Idea and state-run BSNL posting smaller gains, while MTNL recorded subscriber losses. Telecom stocks are among those in focus on Tuesday following the release, which TRAI compiles monthly from operator-reported connection data across telecom circles spanning the country.
How the Wireless Market Grew in August
India’s total wireless subscribers, including mobile and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) connections, rose from 1,306.27 million at the end of July to 1,312.25 million at the end of August, a monthly growth rate of 0.46 per cent. Wireless mobile subscribers alone rose from 1,287.92 million to 1,293.43 million, up 0.43 per cent.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Reliance Jio Subscriber Additions | About 2.40 million, taking its base to 508.43 million (39.31% market share) |
| Bharti Airtel Subscriber Additions | About 2.11 million, taking its base to 491.60 million (38.01% market share) |
| Vodafone Idea Subscriber Base | About 199.57 million |
| BSNL Subscriber Base | About 93.67 million |
| Total Wireless Subscribers (India) | 1,312.25 million, up 0.46% month-on-month |
| Wireless Tele-Density | Rose to 91.69% from 91.33% |
| Private Operators’ Market Share | 92.75% of wireless mobile subscribers |
Urban wireless subscriptions grew from 753.86 million to 759.11 million during August, a 0.70 per cent increase, while rural subscriptions rose from 552.40 million to 553.14 million, up 0.13 per cent. The faster urban growth rate suggests city markets remained the primary driver of net additions during the month, even though rural India still accounts for a substantial share of the overall subscriber base.
Broadband and 5G Fixed Wireless Trends
Jio also retained its lead in India’s broadband market, with 538.03 million broadband subscribers at the end of August, ahead of Airtel’s 386.39 million, Vodafone Idea’s 130.88 million and BSNL’s 27.82 million. The top five broadband providers together accounted for 98.58 per cent of the market, underscoring how concentrated India’s fixed and wireless broadband segment has become among a small number of large operators.
In the 5G Fixed Wireless Access segment, total subscribers rose to 13.45 million in August, an increase of about 245,000 from July. Jio accounted for roughly 9.42 million of those connections, adding 148,870 during the month, while Airtel held about 4.03 million. Fixed Wireless Access uses 5G network infrastructure to deliver home or office broadband without a physical fibre or copper line into the premises, making it a lower-cost way for operators to extend broadband reach into areas where laying fixed-line infrastructure is less economical.
- Jio led both mobile subscriber additions and 5G FWA growth in August.
- Airtel remained a close second in mobile additions, with a narrower market-share gap than in some previous months.
- Machine-to-machine (M2M) cellular connections rose from 137.70 million to 140.50 million.
- India’s overall telephone subscriber base, including wireline, reached 1,360.70 million, up 0.47%.
M2M connections link devices such as smart meters, vehicle trackers and industrial sensors to cellular networks rather than to individual human subscribers, and this category has been growing steadily as utilities and logistics firms expand connected-device deployments across the country.
What This Means for Telecom Investors
The TRAI data offers a monthly snapshot of how India’s telecom operators are performing on subscriber growth, a key metric investors track alongside average revenue per user (ARPU) and capital expenditure when assessing the sector. Jio’s continued lead in both mobile and broadband additions, alongside its 5G FWA growth, reinforces its position as the subscriber-growth leader, though Airtel’s additions remain close enough to keep the competitive gap narrow.
- Jio and Airtel together continue to account for the large majority of net new subscribers each month.
- Vodafone Idea’s slower growth relative to Jio and Airtel remains a recurring theme in monthly TRAI data.
- 5G FWA adoption is still a relatively small but fast-growing segment within the broader wireless base.
- M2M connections, tied to industrial and utility use cases, continue to expand steadily.
Investors who open demat account online to track telecom-sector holdings can use this monthly TRAI release as one data point among several, alongside quarterly ARPU and capex disclosures, when assessing operator performance. Those following the sector on a trading platform may also want to watch how 5G FWA additions trend in the coming months, since this segment remains an emerging growth area rather than a mature one, and TRAI’s monthly subscriber releases, published in the days following each month’s end, offer a recurring reference point.
Disclaimer: This article reports on regulatory data and does not constitute investment advice.
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