India Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Publication Date: January 2025

Report Pages: 188

Analyst: Stephen Marshall

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Summary
Table Of Contents

India’s government bails out struggling operators with major telecom sector reform package

India’s telecommunications sector has struggled for growth over the last five years. The sector’s lacklustre performance has been in spite of concerted efforts by the government to bolster the underlying infrastructure in a bid to achieve universal coverage. Instead, the country’s relatively liberal regulatory environment has encouraged fierce competition and price wars amongst the operators, driving down ARPU to the point where many are now more concerned about their mere survival rather than generating positive returns for their shareholders.

State-owned as well as private operators have been forced to seek redress from the government in order to avoid bankruptcy. One particular area of contention has been the billions owed by the operators to the government in the form of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) dues – usage and licensing fees charged by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) – that have been the subject of long-standing court battles over what should be counted as revenue.

The government won that battle in the Supreme Court in 2019, but the financial impairment of that decision has pushed a number of telcos – in particular Vodafone Idea – to the brink. Add the impact of the Covid-19 crisis in 2020 and 2021 to the mix, and the government had to come to the industry’s rescue by introducing a major reform package in September 2021. Along with changes to the definition of AGR with regard to non-telecom revenue, the package includes a four-year moratorium on AGR dues and spectrum instalments.

Coincidentally, the government has also deferred the spectrum auctions for 5G until later in 2022. Mobile spectrum in India is already in short supply in terms of providing the necessary capacity to reach universal coverage, but the cash-strapped MNOs may not yet be in a sufficiently strong financial position for which to make the 5G spectrum auction viable.

This report includes the regulator's market data to September 2021, telcos' financial and operating data updates to December 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, and other recent market developments.

Key Developments

The government releases a major telecom sector reform package, which includes a four-year moratorium on AGR dues and spectrum instalments.
5G spectrum auctions are postponed from 2021 to 2022.
The target completion date for India’s national broadband program BharatNet (originally scheduled for 2013) is pushed further out to 2025.
Jio develops a 100%-homegrown 5G solution for India, including radios integrated with its own 5G core network as well as Jio 5G smartphones.
BSNL announces plans to make 4G commercial services available in August 2022, following a cash injection from the government.
Bharti Airtel’s shareholders approve a deal for Google to acquire 1.28% of the company in return for a $700 million equity investment.
Vodafone Group sells a 4.7% stake in tower provider Indus Towers to Bharti Airtel.

Key companies mentioned in this report:

Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, Reliance Communications, Tata Teleservices, Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL), Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL), Reliance Jio, Quadrant.

Key statistics
Regional Asia market comparison

Market characteristics
Market Leaders
Market Challengers
Market Emergents
TMI vs GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Economic considerations and responses
Subscribers
Infrastructure

Telecommunications market
Regulatory environment

Regulatory authorities

Ministry for Communications (MoC)
Department of Telecommunications (DoT)
Telecom Commission
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)
Telecom Dispute Settlement & Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT)
Communications Commission of India (CCI)
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)

Fixed-line developments

Licensing circles
Licensing – VNOs
Net Neutrality
Interconnect
Fibre access

Mobile network developments

Spectrum
Mobile subscriber verification
Interconnection
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)

Mobile market

Urban versus rural divide
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G/LTE
CDMA
Other infrastructure developments
Mobile broadband

Major mobile operators

Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL)
Bharti Airtel
Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL)
Vodafone Idea
Quadrant
Reliance Communications (RCOM)
Reliance Jio Infocomm (Jio)
Tata Teleservices (TTSL)
Reach Mobile
MVNOs

Fixed-line broadband market

National Broadband Plan
Fixed broadband ISPs

Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL)
Bharti Airtel
Hughes Telecom
Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL)
Atria Convergence Technologies (ACT)
Vodafone Idea
Reliance Jio

Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
Other fixed broadband services

Wi-Fi

Digital economy

e-Payments

Fixed network market

Major network operators
BSNL
Bharti Airtel
MTNL
Quadrant
Reliance Communications
TATA Teleservices
Vodafone Idea

Telecommunications infrastructure

National telecom network

Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF)
BharatNet / National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN)
Public Call Offices (PCOs)

International infrastructure

Submarine cable networks
Satellite networks

Data Centres
Smart infrastructure

Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – India – 2022 (e)
Table 2 – Change in mobile ARPU (contract, prepaid, blended) (? / month) – 2017 – 2021
Table 3 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 4 – Change in mobile penetration in urban and rural areas – 2012 – 2021
Table 5 – Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers, penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 6 – Change in the mobile market share of subscribers (major MNOs) – 2012 – 2021
Table 7 – Change in the number of BSNL’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 8 – Growth in the number of Bharti Airtel’s mobile subscribers (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 9 – Change in Bharti Airtel’s mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2021
Table 10 – Change in the number of MTNL’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 11 – Growth in the number of Vodafone Idea’s mobile subscribers (company data) (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 12 – Change in Vodafone Idea mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2021
Table 13 – Change in the number of RCOM’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 14 – Growth in the number of Reliance Jio’s mobile subscribers – 2016 – 2021
Table 15 – Reliance mobile ARPU – 2017 – 2021
Table 16 – Decline in the number of Tata Teleservices’ mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2018
Table 17 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 18 – Growth in the number of fibre broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Table 19 – Growth in the number of cable modem subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Table 20 – Change in the number of DSL subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Table 21 – Change in the number of fixed-line subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 22 – Market share of fixed-lines in service by main provider – 2012 – 2021
Table 23 – Decline in the number of BSNL’s fixed-line subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 24 – Decline in BSNL’s financial data (? billion) – 2012 – 2022
Table 25 – Growth in the number of Bharti Airtel’s fixed-line subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 26 – Change in Bharti Airtel group financial data (? billion) – 2012 – 2022
Table 27 – Decline in the number of MTNL’s fixed-line subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 28 – Change in MTNL’s financial data (? billion) – 2014 – 2022
Table 29 – Change in the number of Quadrant’s fixed-line subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 30 – Decline in the number of Reliance’s fixed-line subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 31 – Decline in Reliance Communication’s financial data (? billion) – 2012 – 2021
Table 32 – Growth in the number of Tata’s fixed-line subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 33 – Growth in Tata communication group financial data (? billion) – 2016 – 2022
Table 34 – Growth in the number of Vodafone Idea’s fixed-line subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 35 – Development of Vodafone Idea’s financial data (? billion) – 2012 – 2021
Table 36 – Decline in the number of PCOs in operation – 2012 – 2021
Table 37 – Growth in international internet bandwidth – 2012 – 2020
Table 38 – Historic - Mobile subscribers (GSM and CDMA) (million) – 2002 – 2017
Table 39 – Historic - Vodafone Idea - mobile subscribers – 2002 – 2011
Table 40 – Historic - Vodafone - mobile ARPU – 2008 – 2018
Table 41 – Historic - Vodafone mobile subscribers – 2002 – 2017
Table 42 – Historic - Reliance mobile subscribers – 2002 – 2011
Table 43 – Historic - MTNL mobile subscribers – 2002 – 2011
Table 44 – Historic - Bharti Airtel mobile subscribers – 2002 – 2011
Table 45 – Historic - Tata Teleservices mobile subscribers – 2002 – 2011
Table 46 – Historic - BSNL mobile subscribers – 2002 – 2011
Table 47 – Historic - Bharti Airtel mobile ARPU – 2005 – 2011
Table 48 – Historic - Quadrant mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2016
Table 49 – Historic - Sistema mobile subscribers – 2008 – 2016
Table 50 – Historic - Telenor mobile subscribers – 2009 – 2017
Table 51 – Historic - Aircel mobile subscribers – 2004 – 2018
Table 52 – Historic - Reliance mobile ARPU – 2008 – 2017
Table 53 – Historic - Mobile ARPU (GSM and CDMA) (? / month) – 2005 – 2013
Table 54 – Historic - Dial-up internet subscribers – 2007 – 2012
Table 55 – Historic - International internet bandwidth – 2000 – 2011
Table 56 – Historic - Number of licensed ISPs – 2002 – 2013
Table 57 – Historic - Cable modem subscribers – 2001 – 2011
Table 58 – Historic - DSL subscribers – 2001 – 2011
Table 59 – Historic - Reliance communication fixed-line subscribers – 2005 – 2011
Table 60 – Historic - Sistema fixed-line subscribers – 2010 – 2017
Table 61 – Historic - Videocon mobile subscribers – 2010 – 2015
Table 62 – Historic - Fixed-line subscribers and teledensity – 1995 – 2005
Table 63 – Historic - Change in mobile annualized ARPU (GSM and CDMA) (? / month) – 2014 – 2018
Table 64 – Historic - Development of internet penetration – 2008 – 2011
Table 65 – Historic - Decline in the number of BSNL’s fixed-line subscribers – 2008 – 2011
Table 66 – Historic - Growth in the number of Bharti Airtel’s fixed-line subscribers – 2008 – 2011
Table 67 – Historic - Decline in the number of PCOs in operation – 2008 – 2011

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Asia Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders
Chart 2 – Asia Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers
Chart 3 – Asia Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents
Chart 4 – Asia – Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 5 – Asia – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 6 – Central Asia – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 7 – Central Asia – Fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 8 – Change in mobile ARPU (contract, prepaid, blended) – 2017 – 2021
Chart 9 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 10 – Change in mobile penetration in urban and rural areas – 2012 – 2021
Chart 11 – Growth in the number of mobile broadband subscribers, penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 12 – Change in the mobile market share of subscribers (major MNOs) – 2012 – 2021
Chart 13 – Change in the number of BSNL’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 14 – Growth in the number of Bharti Airtel’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 15 – Change in Bharti Airtel’s mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2021
Chart 16 – Change in the number of MTNL’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 17 – Growth in the number of Vodafone Idea’s mobile subscribers (company data) – 2012 – 2021
Chart 18 – Change in Vodafone Idea mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2021
Chart 19 – Change in the number of RCOM’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 20 – Growth in the number of Reliance Jio’s mobile subscribers – 2016 – 2021
Chart 21 – Reliance mobile ARPU – 2017 – 2021
Chart 22 – Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 23 – Growth in the number of fibre broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Chart 24 – Growth in the number of cable modem subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Chart 25 – Change in the number of DSL subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Chart 26 – Change in the number of fixed-line subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 27 – Decline in the number of BSNL’s fixed-line subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 28 – Decline in BSNL’s financial data – 2012 – 2022
Chart 29 – Growth in the number of Bharti Airtel’s fixed-line subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 30 – Change in Bharti Airtel group financial data – 2012 – 2022
Chart 31 – Decline in the number of MTNL’s fixed-line subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 32 – Change in MTNL’s financial data – 2014 – 2022
Chart 33 – Change in the number of Quadrant’s fixed-line subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 34 – Decline in the number of Reliance’s fixed-line subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 35 – Decline in Reliance Communication’s financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 36 – Growth in the number of Tata’s fixed-line subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 37 – Growth in Tata communication group financial data – 2016 – 2022
Chart 38 – Growth in the number of Vodafone Idea’s fixed-line subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 39 – Development of Vodafone Idea’s financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 40 – Decline in the number of PCOs in operation – 2012 – 2021

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Asia
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – Asia – Market Leaders and market developments
Exhibit 4 – Asia – Market Challengers and market developments
Exhibit 5 – Asia – Market Emergents and market developments
Exhibit 6 – Spectrum auction results - 2016
Exhibit 7 – CDMA 3G commercial deployments in India
Exhibit 8 – Major shareholders in Bharti Airtel
Exhibit 9 – International submarine cable systems with landing points in India
Exhibit 10 – ISRO satellite network

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India Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

India’s government bails out struggling operators with major telecom sector reform package

Key Developments

Key companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Asia market comparison

Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Digital economy

Fixed network market

Telecommunications infrastructure

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views