TRAI Data Shows Jio and Airtel Added Subscribers

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released wireless subscriber data for August 2026 in late September 2026. The data covered mobile additions by major Indian telecom operators, including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, BSNL, and MTNL.

Wireless Subscriber Base in India

India’s total wireless mobile subscriber base rose by about 5.51 million in August 2026 to 1.293 billion. Wireless subscriptions include mobile connections used on cellular networks for voice and data services.

Operator-wise Mobile Additions

Reliance Jio added about 2.40 million wireless mobile subscribers in August 2026, the highest among all operators. Bharti Airtel added about 2.11 million subscribers in the same month. Vodafone Idea added around 506,000 wireless mobile subscribers, while BSNL added nearly 493,000 users.

Subscriber Base of Major Telecom Operators

By the end of August 2026, Reliance Jio’s total wireless subscriber base stood at 508.43 million. Bharti Airtel’s wireless subscriber base reached about 491.60 million during the same period. MTNL lost about 5,900 subscribers in August 2026.

Important Facts for Exams

• TRAI is the statutory regulator for telecommunications in India under the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997.
• Wireless mobile subscriber data is a key indicator used to assess telecom market share in India.
• Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel are the two largest private wireless telecom operators in India.
• BSNL and MTNL are state-owned telecom companies in India.

Urban and Rural Subscription Trends

Urban wireless subscriptions grew by 0.70% in August 2026. Rural wireless subscriptions grew by 0.13% in the same month, with some reports placing the rural growth rate at 0.06%.