New Delhi, June 19 : India's telecom sector continues to show growth, with the total number of telephone subscribers crossing the 1.2 billion mark, according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Thursday.

The total subscriber base increased from 1,189.92 million in December 2024 to 1,200.80 million in March 2025. Tele-density also rose during the quarter -- reflecting better connectivity across urban and rural areas.

Urban subscribers grew to 666.11 million, while rural subscribers touched 534.69 million.

This growth led to an increase in rural tele-density, indicating deeper digital reach in remote regions.

The share of rural subscriptions also rose from 44.31 per cent at the end of December 2024 to 44.53 per cent at the end of March 2025.

Wireless subscriptions witnessed significant growth, with more than 13 million new connections added during the quarter ending March 31.

The combined mobile and 5G FWA user base reached 1,163.76 million, while traditional mobile connections alone rose to 1,156.99 million.

This suggests growing interest in mobile services across consumer segments.

India's broadband internet landscape remains robust, with over 944 million subscribers.

This reflects India's continued dominance as one of the world's largest internet user bases, even as new technologies shape the way people connect.

The sector also saw an improvement in financial performance. Gross Revenue (GR) for the quarter stood at Rs 98,250 crore, with Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) touching Rs 79,226 crore.

License fee collections also grew, underlining the strong demand for telecom services.

Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) for wireless services rose to Rs 182.95, with prepaid users contributing Rs 182.53 and postpaid users averaging Rs 187.48 per month.

User engagement remained high, as average minutes of usage per month increased to 1,026 -- showing higher interaction with telecom services for voice, data, and content.

The broadcasting sector remained stable, with 333 satellite pay TV channels reported out of 908 permitted channels, including 101 HD channels.

The Pay DTH segment recorded an active user base of 56.92 million, offering a wide range of content alongside Doordarshan's free services.

/IANS