Wireless data usage in India is expected to see a significant increase in the fiscal year 2025-26. According to a report by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the total volume of wireless data usage has risen from 22,8779 petabytes in 2024-25 to 28,5376 petabytes in 2025-26, indicating a growth of 24.74%.
Decrease in Revenue per Gigabyte
Despite the significant increase in data consumption, the revenue generated by telecom operators per gigabyte of data has decreased. Revenue per gigabyte has dropped from ₹8.97 to ₹8.02 in 2025-26, representing a decrease of 10.59%. These changes indicate that while consumers are using more data, operators are facing challenges in revenue generation.
Increase in Subscriber Numbers
The increase in data usage is also reflected in the growth of wireless data subscribers. The number of subscribers has risen to 1,026.75 million in March 2026, up from 939.51 million in March 2025, showing a growth of 9.29%. Additionally, the average data usage per subscriber has increased to 25.51 gigabytes per month in March 2026, compared to 21.53 gigabytes the previous year.
Despite the decrease in revenue per gigabyte, total revenue from wireless data in the fiscal year 2025-26 has increased by 11.53%, reaching ₹239,874 crore. This increase indicates overall growth in the telecom industry and rising usage of wireless services.
Overall Growth of the Telecom Industry
Furthermore, the total number of phone subscribers has also increased during this period, reaching 1,330.58 million in March 2026, up from 1,200.80 million in March 2025, indicating a growth of 10.81%. The wireless sector, including fixed wireless access and mobile phones, has also seen significant growth, with the number of subscribers rising to 1,282.33 million from 1,163.76 million.
Overall, the total revenue of the telecom industry has increased this year, with gross revenue rising by 8.59% to ₹404,067 crore. These statistics reflect strong growth in data consumption and telecom services in India in the fiscal year 2025-26, although operators face challenges in revenue generation.
