India’s telecom sector witnessed a steady rise in subscriber numbers in May 2025, with a net addition of 3.24 million telephone users, according to the latest data released by the Ministry of Communications on Friday.

The total number of telephone subscribers increased from 1,203.84 million in April to 1,207.08 million in May, reflecting a monthly growth rate of 0.27%. This uptick was recorded across both urban and rural regions.

Urban and Rural Growth Breakdown

Urban areas saw telephone subscriptions climb from 667.19 million to 669.69 million, registering a 0.37% growth. Rural subscriptions rose slightly from 536.65 million to 537.39 million, a 0.14% increase over the same period.

The urban-rural subscriber share stood at 55.48% and 44.52%, respectively, at the end of May.

Tele-Density Sees Minor Rise

India’s overall tele-density—a measure of telephone connections per 100 people—grew from 85.19% in April to 85.36% in May.

Urban tele-density went up from 131.46% to 131.76%.

Rural tele-density rose from 59.26% to 59.33%.

Despite the growth, eight telecom circles reported tele-density figures below the national average. Delhi recorded the highest tele-density at 274.29%, while Bihar had the lowest at 57.57%.

Mobile Number Portability Remains Popular

The report also highlighted the continued popularity of Mobile Number Portability (MNP), with 14.03 million requests for operator changes submitted in May alone.

MNP was first introduced in Haryana in November 2010 and rolled out nationwide in January 2011. The service was further expanded in July 2015 to allow inter-service area portability, enabling users to retain their numbers when moving between different telecom circles.

The sustained rise in subscriptions and MNP requests reflects both expanding connectivity in India and heightened consumer demand for flexible telecom services.