TRAI Q2‑2026 Telecom Report Shows Steady Growth in Internet Users and Revenue, Wireline Decline Continues

Key Highlights

• Total internet subscribers rose to 1,114.17 million, a 1.96 % quarterly increase.
• Wireless (mobile + FWA) base reached 1,300.25 million, up 1.40 %.
• Wireline subscriptions fell to 47.82 million (‑0.88 % quarter‑on‑quarter) but grew 0.71 % year‑on‑year.
• Average Revenue per User (ARPU) for wireless services climbed to ₹187.12 (+1.19 % QoQ, +3.11 % YoY).
• Mobile data usage jumped to 84,424 PB, an 8.30 % rise from the previous quarter.
• Overall tele‑density improved to 94.31 %; urban tele‑density crossed 150 %.
• All QoS benchmarks for wireline, access‑wireless and broadband services were met.

Internet Subscribers

• Broadband: 1,087.50 million (↑2.03 % QoQ).
• Narrow‑band: 26.67 million (↓0.89 % QoQ).
• Wired: 47.73 million of the total internet base.
• Wireless: 1,066.43 million, driving most of the growth.

Wireline Trends

• Subscribers: 47.82 million (‑0.88 % QoQ).
• Tele‑density: 3.35 % (down from 3.38 %).
• Year‑on‑year, wireline subscriptions rose 0.71 %, indicating a very slow recovery.

Revenue & ARPU

• Gross Revenue (GR): ₹106,797 crore (+1.60 % QoQ, +10.50 % YoY).
• Applicable GR (ApGR): ₹101,036 crore (+2.43 % QoQ, +9.52 % YoY).
• Adjusted GR (AGR): ₹88,796 crore (+2.40 % QoQ, +9.19 % YoY).
• License fee: ₹7,103 crore (↑2.41 % QoQ, ↑9.18 % YoY).
• Pass‑through charges: ₹12,241 crore (‑2.02 % QoQ, +17.06 % YoY).
• Wireless ARPU: ₹187.12 per month; prepaid ARPU ₹200.72, post‑paid ARPU ₹114.26.
• Revenue per GB fell to ₹7.13 (‑5.07 % QoQ).

Mobile Data Usage

• Subscribers: 1,045.55 million (↑1.86 % QoQ, +11.05 % YoY).
• Total data volume: 84,424 PB (↑8.30 % QoQ).
• Average data per subscriber: 28.39 GB/month (↑6.32 % QoQ).

Tele‑density Snapshot

• Overall: 94.31 % (up from 93.26 %).
• Urban: 153.43 % (up from 151.47 %).
• Rural: 60.89 % (up from 60.46 %).
• Rural share of total subscriptions slipped to 41.24 %.

Quality of Service (QoS) Benchmarks

All listed parameters for wireline, access‑wireless and broadband services met the regulatory benchmarks, including:

• Fault incidence ≤ 5 per 100 subscribers.
• Fault‑repair within one working day ≥ 85 %.
• Mean Time‑to‑Repair ≤ 10 hours.
• Call‑setup success ≥ 95 % (inter‑operator) and ≥ 98 % (intra‑operator).
• Latency ≤ 75 ms for 4G/5G, ≤ 50 ms for broadband.
• Packet‑drop rates ≤ 3 % (4G/5G) and ≤ 1 % (broadband).

Broadcast & Radio Snapshot

• Satellite TV: 915 private channels permitted; 342 pay‑TV (238 SD, 104 HD) and 566 free‑to‑air.
• Pay DTH: 48.56 million subscribers (‑1.08 % QoQ).
• Private FM: 386 operational stations in 121 cities (down from 390).
• FM ad revenue: ₹376.16 crore (down from ₹414.03 crore).
• Community radio: 578 stations operational.

How to Verify the Data

The full “Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report” for April‑June 2026 is published on TRAI’s website:

• URL: `https://www.trai.gov.in/release-publication/reports/performance-indicators-reports`
• Look for Press Release No. 135/2026 and download the PDF.
• Cross‑check the tables in the Executive Summary with the PDF’s detailed annexes.

Implications for Consumers & Industry

• Consumers can expect marginally higher mobile tariffs (ARPU rise) but better data caps as average usage per subscriber climbs.
• Rural operators may need to focus on expanding coverage; rural tele‑density is still below 70 %.
• Broadband providers must maintain QoS standards to keep the latency and packet‑drop benchmarks.
• Investors may view the steady revenue growth and rising license‑fee collections as a sign of a healthy market, while the wireline decline suggests a shift toward wireless solutions.
• Policy makers can use the QoS compliance data to assess the effectiveness of current regulations and consider incentives for rural expansion.

--- *All figures are taken directly from TRAI’s Q2‑2026 Performance Indicator Report. No independent verification has been performed beyond the official publication.*