India’s telecom landscape: Jio emerges unchallenged in October 2025

Reliance Jio, owned by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries, which launched its commercial services in 2016, continued to strengthen its hold on India’s telecom market in October 2025, recording the highest growth in mobile, broadband, and wireline segments, according to the latest data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

Jio added 3.9 million active mobile users during the month, nearly three times the net additions posted by Bharti Airtel, which was launched in 1995. This helped Jio’s wireless market share rise to 41.4 per cent, a gain of 137 basis points compared to last year. Vodafone Idea (established 2018) and state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL, established 2000) trailed further behind in net additions, while smaller operators had a minimal impact on market dynamics.

The company also maintained its lead in the wireline segment, adding nearly four times more users than Airtel, its closest competitor. Much of this growth came from its AirFiber service, where Jio added over three times the number of Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) users than Airtel. The wireline category includes 5G Fixed Wireless Access (5G FWA), Fiber to the Home (FTTH), Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and Unspecified Bit Rate (UBR) connections, highlighting Jio’s expanding footprint in next-generation broadband services.

In wireless broadband, Jio again outpaced rivals. Between July and October 2025, it added 1.6 times more users than Airtel, consolidating its lead in 4G Long Term Evolution (4G LTE) and 5G broadband subscriptions. Vodafone Idea and BSNL lagged behind, contributing far fewer new users in this segment. TRAI data also showed overall broadband use in India rising steadily, with total subscribers reaching 999.81 million in October, up from 995.63 million in September, marking a 0.42 per cent monthly growth.

Fixed-wireless 5G services reflected a widening gap between operators. Jio led with 7.39 million FWA users, nearly three times Airtel’s 2.51 million, accounting for the majority of India’s 9.91 million 5G FWA subscribers. States such as Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Karnataka reported the highest numbers.

Among wireless broadband providers, Jio remained the clear leader with 494.93 million subscribers, followed by Airtel at 302.62 million and Vodafone Idea at 127.22 million. BSNL had 29.96 million users, while IBus Virtual Network Services accounted for just 0.12 million.

Telecom growth snapshot - October 2025

The figures highlight Jio’s consistent dominance across mobile, broadband, and next-generation fixed-wireless services, reinforcing its position as India’s largest telecom operator while widening the gap with Airtel, Vodafone Idea, BSNL, and other smaller competitors.