In addition, there are over 904 million broadband internet users in India now.
India’s digital revolution shows no signs of slowing down. The latest telecom subscriber report from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) reveals staggering internet user growth.
At the end of December 2023, India had a whopping 936.16 million internet subscriptions, up nearly 2 per cent in just three months. Wireless internet, through mobile broadband, continues to be the driving force withs almost 897.59 million subscribers. But, wired broadband is also gaining, reaching 38.57 million households.
Perhaps, most impressive is the breakneck pace of broadband adoption. Total broadband internet users soared past 904.54 million, a quarterly increase of over 2 per cent. Narrowband connections, running on older technology, declined to just 31.6 million as Indian consumers flock to high-speed data plans.
This surging demand for bandwidth isn’t limited to urban areas anymore. While cities added millions more internet subscribers, rural India accounted for over 44% of the country’s total telephone user base at year’s end. 527.77 million rural residents were digitally connected, with rural tele-density hitting nearly 59 per cent.
For telecom operators, the digital gold rush is putting upward pressure on revenues. Average revenue per wireless user (ARPU) jumped nearly 2 per cent quarter-over-quarter to Rs 152.55, driven by an 8 per cent annual increase. Postpaid mobile ARPU was especially strong at Rs 189 per month.
The explosion in connectivity is also reshaping India’s overall telecom landscape. Total telephone subscriptions crossed 1.19 billion, reflecting modest 0.78 per cent growth from the previous quarter. But with 1.16 billion wireless numbers, mobile is clearly where the action is. Wired landlines rose a sluggish 2.8 per cent to 31.8 million.
A previous report from February sheds more light on how Indians are using the internet. According to a study by the Internet and Mobile Association of India and Kantar, 86 per cent of internet users now enjoy OTT video and audio streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, and Spotify. And over half of these digital entertainment consumers hail from rural areas.
Source:indianexpress.com