India’s 5G surge powers all-round telecom growth in FY25

India’s telecom sector in FY25 saw record 5G rollout, strong subscriber growth, and a shift toward lighter, pro-investment regulation, as highlighted in TRAI’s 2024-25 Annual Report. The report projects that this momentum will underpin inclusive digital growth and greater global competitiveness in the coming years.​

Subscriber and connectivity growth
TRAI notes that India consolidated its status as the world’s second-largest telecom market in 2024-25, with the total subscriber base touching 1,200.80 million by March 2025. Internet subscribers stood at 969.10 million and broadband users at 944.12 million, underscoring sustained demand for high-speed data.​

Tele-density reached 85.04%, indicating near-universal access to basic telecom services across the country. This expansion reflects deeper penetration in rural areas alongside continued urban data growth.​

Rapid 5G rollout and use cases
The report describes the accelerated 5G rollout as one of the most remarkable developments of 2024-25. India is counted among the fastest 5G deployments globally, with services launched on October 1, 2022 and now present in 99.6% of districts.​

By February 2025, 5G services were backed by more than 4.69 lakh Base Transceiver Stations and served around 25 crore users. This network is enabling advanced applications in healthcare, education, manufacturing, logistics and smart infrastructure, and is seen as the foundation for AI, IoT and Industry 4.0.​

Regulatory reforms and consumer protection
The Telecommunications Act, 2023 steered the sector’s regulatory evolution in 2024-25. TRAI issued recommendations on service authorisation, spectrum sharing and leasing, terahertz spectrum, and network authorisations to simplify licensing, optimise spectrum use, and spur innovation.​

Targeted measures to curb spam calls and fraudulent messages, along with reinforced consumer protection rules, were introduced to build greater trust in digital communications. The report stresses a move toward technology-neutral, “light-touch” regulation designed to encourage investment while preserving fair competition.​

Infrastructure, fibre and inclusion
TRAI highlights a push on infrastructure sharing, right-of-way reforms, and fibre expansion to improve network quality and coverage, especially in underserved regions. These steps are intended to reduce rollout costs and speed up deployment of high-capacity networks, supporting inclusive digital access.​

With rising data consumption and widespread 5G adoption, the sector is positioned to support broad-based economic growth and new digital services. TRAI also underlines that its annual report provides a detailed review of policies, programmes, and the overall telecom and broadcasting environment.​

Broadcasting, cable and M&E sector
The broadcasting and cable TV segment recorded steady progress in 2024-25, parallel to telecom. India’s Media and Entertainment industry is reported at about $2.5 trillion in 2024, contributing 0.73% to GDP, with expectations of continued growth.​

Television remains a core pillar, supported by about 918 private satellite TV channels, 845 Multi System Operators, and 56.92 million active pay DTH subscribers. Radio also showed resilience, with 388 private FM stations and community radio growth, while TRAI actively engaged on National Broadcasting Policy 2024, digital radio, ground-based broadcasters, and FM spectrum pricing.​

The TRAI Annual Report 2024-25 was tabled in Lok Sabha on December 17, 2025 and in Rajya Sabha on December 18, 2025, and serves as the basis for these figures and assessments.​

For report, https://www.communicationstoday.co.in/performance-telecom-broadcast-industry-fy25-trai/

CT Bureau