State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) surpassed Bharti Airtel in mobile subscriber additions in August 2025, adding 1.4 million new users compared to Airtel’s 0.5 million, according to TRAI data analyzed by JM Financial Institutional Securities Limited.
BSNL had a strong monthly performance compared to recent months, as it had a sharp recovery in rural markets, which added around 1 million subscribers following losses in preceding months, according to a Morgan Stanley India Telecoms report.
The overall telecom sector added 3.5 million net wireless subscribers in August compared to just 0.5 million in July, the highest monthly growth in six months, as reported by JM Financial.
Reliance Jio led the additions with 1.9 million new subscribers, rebounding from 0.5 million in July, returning to its typical monthly range between 1.8 million and 2.7 million, the JM report said.
Vodafone Idea continued to face subscriber declines, losing 0.3 million subscribers in August.
BSNL and other smaller operators’ combined share saw an increase of 10 basis points to 7.9%, accounting for 92 million total subscribers, said JM. Jio’s share also increased by 10 basis points to 41.1%, reaching 479 million subscribers, while Bharti Airtel’s market share remained steady at 33.6% with 392 million subscribers. Vodafone Idea’s share decreased by 10 basis points to 17.4%, with 204 million subscribers, it added.
While BSNL showed strong subscriber additions, it lagged in active subscriber growth along with Vodafone Idea. The operator lost 0.5 million active subscribers in August despite adding 1.4 million total subscribers, as per JM Financial.
In contrast, Jio and Airtel dominated active subscriber growth, adding 2.3 million and 1.3 million active users respectively. Vodafone Idea lost 0.1 million active subscribers during the month.
Premium segments also showed a divide, with BSNL adding only 0.03 million mobile broadband subscribers, while its wireline broadband base remained stagnant at 4.4 million. BSNL’s mobile broadband market share stayed at 3.2%, far behind Jio’s 51.6% and Airtel’s 31.7%.
In the 5G fixed wireless access segment, Jio’s market share stood at 76%, adding 0.32 million subscribers, while Airtel had a 24% share with 0.19 million subscribers.
In the Machine-to-Machine segment, Airtel led with 58.7% market share, adding 3.9 million subscribers, while Jio added 0.94 million subscribers (17.9% market share), Vodafone Idea 0.18 million (19.4%), and BSNL held 4%, the JM report said.
BSNL had a strong monthly performance compared to recent months, as it had a sharp recovery in rural markets, which added around 1 million subscribers following losses in preceding months, according to a Morgan Stanley India Telecoms report.
The overall telecom sector added 3.5 million net wireless subscribers in August compared to just 0.5 million in July, the highest monthly growth in six months, as reported by JM Financial.
Reliance Jio led the additions with 1.9 million new subscribers, rebounding from 0.5 million in July, returning to its typical monthly range between 1.8 million and 2.7 million, the JM report said.
Vodafone Idea continued to face subscriber declines, losing 0.3 million subscribers in August.
BSNL and other smaller operators’ combined share saw an increase of 10 basis points to 7.9%, accounting for 92 million total subscribers, said JM. Jio’s share also increased by 10 basis points to 41.1%, reaching 479 million subscribers, while Bharti Airtel’s market share remained steady at 33.6% with 392 million subscribers. Vodafone Idea’s share decreased by 10 basis points to 17.4%, with 204 million subscribers, it added.
While BSNL showed strong subscriber additions, it lagged in active subscriber growth along with Vodafone Idea. The operator lost 0.5 million active subscribers in August despite adding 1.4 million total subscribers, as per JM Financial.
In contrast, Jio and Airtel dominated active subscriber growth, adding 2.3 million and 1.3 million active users respectively. Vodafone Idea lost 0.1 million active subscribers during the month.
Premium segments also showed a divide, with BSNL adding only 0.03 million mobile broadband subscribers, while its wireline broadband base remained stagnant at 4.4 million. BSNL’s mobile broadband market share stayed at 3.2%, far behind Jio’s 51.6% and Airtel’s 31.7%.
In the 5G fixed wireless access segment, Jio’s market share stood at 76%, adding 0.32 million subscribers, while Airtel had a 24% share with 0.19 million subscribers.
In the Machine-to-Machine segment, Airtel led with 58.7% market share, adding 3.9 million subscribers, while Jio added 0.94 million subscribers (17.9% market share), Vodafone Idea 0.18 million (19.4%), and BSNL held 4%, the JM report said.
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