TRAI Report: Reliance Jio Leads Indian Telecom Market in January 2025

India’s telecom industry continued to grow in January 2025, with Reliance Jio holding on to its top position and Bharti Airtel leading in new customer additions. According to the latest report by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the wireless subscriber base saw modest growth, while companies like Vodafone Idea and BSNL continued to lose users.

Reliance Jio Remains on Top

Reliance Jio maintained the top spot with a market share of 40.46%, taking its total subscriber base to 465.82 million. Although its growth slowed compared to December 2024, when it added over 3.9 million users, Jio still gained 686,143 new users in January 2025.

Bharti Airtel Adds the Most New Users

Bharti Airtel had the biggest monthly gain by adding 1.65 million subscribers, taking its total user base to 386.96 million and securing a 33.61% market share. The company’s consistent growth highlights its firm position in India’s telecom sector.

Read More:Best Telecommunication Stocks in India 2024

Vodafone Idea and BSNL Lose Customers

Vodafone Idea lost 1.33 million subscribers, dropping its total base to 205.92 million. Its market share also fell to 17.89%. Although the company started its commercial 5G services in Mumbai in March, it remains behind Jio and Airtel, who began their 5G rollout over 2 years ago.

BSNL, the state-run operator, lost 369,665 users, bringing its subscriber base down to 91.57 million, with a market share of 7.95%. The company continues to face challenges in user retention.

Read More: BSNL Secures 5G Spectrum Worth ₹61,000 Crore: Trials Begin Ahead of Full Rollout

TRAI Pushes for Fair Competition

To make the market more balanced, TRAI has introduced new rules to stop unfair pricing and promote healthy competition. This ensures that all telecom companies – including Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea – play by the same rules, so customers benefit from fair prices and better services.

Expanding Services to Rural India

TRAI is also focused on improving network coverage in rural and remote areas. It has asked operators like Jio, Airtel, and BSNL to offer more affordable plans and invest in rural networks. This is in line with the government’s Digital India mission, which aims to connect every citizen to the internet.

Conclusion

With Reliance Jio leading in total users and Bharti Airtel leading in new user additions, India’s telecom sector continues to evolve. TRAI’s efforts to improve fairness and expand rural access will further shape the future of the industry, ensuring better services and more choices for everyone.

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