India Sees Rise in Telephone Subscribers by Over 3.2 Million in May

India added more than 3.2 million new telephone subscribers in May 2025, as per fresh data released by the Ministry of Communications. This increase pushed the total number of users from 1,203.84 million at the end of April to 1,207.08 million by the end of May—showing a monthly growth of 0.27%.

Urban and Rural Subscriptions Both See Growth

The number of subscribers in urban areas rose from 667.19 million to 669.69 million, reflecting a growth rate of 0.37%. In rural regions, the figures moved up slightly from 536.65 million to 537.39 million, with a growth rate of 0.14%. At the end of May, urban users made up 55.48% of all telephone users, while rural subscribers accounted for 44.52%.

Tele-Density Improves Slightly Across India

India's overall teledensity—which measures the number of telephone connections per 100 people—improved from 85.19% to 85.36% in May. Urban teledensity rose to 131.76%, while rural teledensity inched up to 59.33%. However, eight telecom circles still reported teledensity below the national average. The Delhi service area had the highest teledensity at 274.29%, while Bihar remained the lowest at 57.57%.

Mobile Number Portability Requests Top 14 Million

In May 2025, around 14.03 million mobile users requested to switch their network operators through Mobile Number Portability (MNP). MNP was first introduced in Haryana in 2010 and expanded nationwide by January 2011. Initially limited to users within the same service area, the system was upgraded in July 2015 to allow number retention even when moving to a different service region.

India’s growing telecom footprint highlights strong digital penetration, with both urban and rural areas showing steady adoption. While urban areas lead in teledensity, rural expansion remains crucial for balanced growth.