Wireless Data Use Jumps 25% in FY26, Revenue Per GB Falls
TRAI reports a massive 24.74% surge in wireless data usage in India for FY26, even as revenue per GB sees a significant decline.
India is witnessing a massive surge in digital consumption, with wireless data usage skyrocketing by nearly 25 per cent during the 2025-26 financial year. However, this explosion in connectivity comes with a twist for telecom giants: while people are consuming far more data, the amount of money operators are making for every single gigabyte has taken a hit.
According to the latest Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) report, the total volume of wireless data usage climbed from 2,28,779 petabytes in the previous year to a staggering 2,85,376 petabytes in 2025-26. This represents a robust yearly growth rate of 24.74 per cent.
The Per-GB Revenue Paradox
The data reveals a striking contradiction in the telecom sector's economics. As consumers dive deeper into the digital world, the revenue realisation per gigabyte has seen a notable decline. The revenue earned per GB dropped to Rs 8.02, down from Rs 8.97 in the 2024-25 period—a fall of 10.59 per cent.
Despite this decline in the value of each individual gigabyte, the sheer volume of data being consumed has kept the overall coffers full. Total wireless data revenue actually rose by 11.53 per cent, reaching Rs 2,39,874 crore in 2025-26, compared to Rs 2,15,078 crore the year before.
Rising Subscribers and Higher Monthly Spending
The appetite for mobile data is being driven by a rapidly expanding user base. Key highlights from the TRAI performance indicators include:
- Data Subscribers: The wireless data subscriber base grew by 9.29 per cent, reaching 1,026.75 million in March 2026.
- Individual Usage: The average wireless data usage per subscriber rose significantly to 25.51 GB per month, up from 21.53 GB in the previous year.
- Revenue Per User: While per-GB revenue fell, the average wireless revenue per user per month actually saw a healthy increase of 3.59 per cent, rising to Rs 180.73 from Rs 174.46.
Broad Growth Across the Telecom Sector
The growth wasn't limited to just data; the entire telecom ecosystem showed signs of expansion. The total number of telephone subscribers in India reached 1,330.58 million in March 2026, marking a 10.81 per cent increase from the previous year.
The wireless segment, which encompasses both mobile and fixed wireless access, saw its subscriber base expand to 1,282.33 million. Mobile subscribers specifically accounted for a large portion of this, increasing by 9.40 per cent to hit 1,265.73 million.
Financially, the industry remains on an upward trajectory. Gross revenue for the sector rose by 8.59 per cent to Rs 4,04,067 crore, while the Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) saw a 10.44 per cent increase, reaching Rs 3,34,659 crore. The numbers paint a clear picture of an industry fueled by an insatiable demand for data, even as the pricing per unit of that data continues to compress.