India’s Internet users cross 100 crore in June quarter; Pay DTH loses 9 lakh subscribers
FM radio operators also reported a sharp drop in advertising revenues. The 388 private FM radio channels collectively earned Rs 383.14 crore in the June quarter
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India’s telecom and broadcast sector witnessed mixed trends in the April–June 2025 quarter, with internet subscriptions surging past the 100-crore mark even as Pay DTH subscribers declined and FM radio ad revenues fell.
According to the latest data by the Ministry of Communications, the total number of internet subscribers in India rose from 96.91 crore in the March quarter to 100 crore in the June quarter, registering a quarterly growth of 3.48%. Of these, 4.4 crore were wired internet users, while 95 crore were wireless subscribers. The broadband internet subscriber base stood at nearly 98 crore, up 3.77% from 94.4 crore in the previous quarter.
The Monthly Average Revenue per User (ARPU) for wireless services grew 2% sequentially, from Rs 182.95 in January–March 2025 to Rs 186.62 in April–June 2025. On a year-on-year basis, ARPU surged 18.52%. Prepaid users recorded a monthly ARPU of Rs 187, while postpaid users averaged Rs 182.72.
Meanwhile, the total telephone subscriber base in India increased from 120 crore in March 2025 to 121 crore in June 2025, reflecting a 1.46% quarterly growth and a 1.06% year-on-year increase. Urban subscribers grew from 66 crore to 67 crore, while rural subscribers edged up from 53.4 crore to 53.8 crore.
In contrast, the Pay DTH sector saw its active subscriber base dip to 5.6 crore in June 2025, down from 5.69 crore in March 2025. This excludes users of Doordarshan’s free DTH platform, DD Free Dish.
FM radio operators also reported a sharp drop in advertising revenues. The 388 private FM radio channels collectively earned Rs 383.14 crore in the June quarter, down from Rs 466.63 crore in the March quarter.
