Telephone subscribers in India rose by 3.24 million in May: Govt data

In absolute terms, the total number of subscribers rose by 3.24 million during the month.

Urban telephone subscriptions increased from 667.19 million at the end of April 2025 to 669.69 million at the end of May 2025, and rural telephone subscriptions also increased from 536.65 million to 537.39 million during the same period.

The monthly growth rates of urban and rural telephone subscriptions were 0.37 per cent and 0.14 per cent, respectively, during the month of May 2025.

The overall tele-density in India increased from 85.19 per cent at the end of April 2025 to 85.36 per cent at the end of May 2025.

The urban tele-density increased from 131.46 per cent at the end of April 2025 to 131.76 per cent at the end of May 2025, and rural tele-density also increased from 59.26 per cent to 59.33 per cent during the same period.

The share of urban and rural subscribers in the total number of telephone subscribers at the end of May 2025 was 55.48 per cent and 44.52 per cent, respectively.

In terms of Localised Service Area (LSA), eight circles had less tele-density than the all-India average tele-density at the end of May 2025.

Delhi service area had the maximum tele-density of 274.29 per cent, and the Bihar service area had the minimum tele-density of 57.57 per cent at the end of May 2025.

Coming to mobile number portability (MNP), 14.03 million subscribers submitted their requests for operator change in May 2025.

In India, the mobile number portability (MNP) was implemented in the Haryana service area in November 2010 and in the rest of the country in January 2011.

Initially, it was available only within the same Licensed Service Area (LSA). Inter-Service Area MNP was implemented in the country effective July 2015, allowing the mobile subscribers to retain their mobile numbers when they relocate from one service area to another. (ANI)