India’s telecom sector recorded adjusted gross revenue (AGR) of Rs 88,796 crore in the April–June 2026 quarter, an increase of 9.19% year-on-year and 2.40% over the preceding quarter, according to the latest performance indicator report released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on October 12. Reliance Jio remained the largest contributor among access-service operators, followed by the Bharti group, while Vodafone Idea also reported annual revenue growth.
The report points to continued expansion in telecom revenue alongside rising data consumption. However, growth differed across revenue measures, and AGR should not be confused with an operator’s total revenue, net profit or average revenue per user (ARPU).
Jio Leads Access AGR, Followed by Bharti and Vodafone Idea
TRAI’s latest figures show that Reliance Jio recorded access-services AGR of Rs 33,226 crore in April–June 2026. The Bharti group reported Rs 29,803 crore, Vodafone Idea recorded Rs 8,448 crore and state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) reported Rs 2,117 crore.
| Operator | Access-services AGR | Year-on-year growth | Share of access AGR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reliance Jio | Rs 33,226 crore | 9.69% | 44.62% |
| Bharti group | Rs 29,803 crore | 10.19% | 40.03% |
| Vodafone Idea | Rs 8,448 crore | 8.27% | 11.35% |
| BSNL | Rs 2,117 crore | 2.80% | 2.84% |
Source: TRAI figures reported by The Economic Times. Shares are for access-services AGR, not the entire telecom sector’s AGR.
Jio’s reported access-services AGR was the largest among the operators listed, while Bharti recorded the fastest year-on-year growth among the three leading private groups. Vodafone Idea also registered growth, although its reported rate was lower than those of Jio and Bharti. BSNL’s access AGR increased more modestly.
These figures show the relative scale and growth of access-service revenue, but they do not by themselves establish which company is more profitable. Operators have different cost structures, spectrum obligations, depreciation expenses and investment requirements.
Total Telecom AGR Rose to Rs 88,796 Crore
At the sector level, TRAI reported gross revenue of Rs 1,06,797 crore and applicable gross revenue of Rs 1,01,036 crore for the quarter. AGR stood at Rs 88,796 crore.
Gross revenue increased 10.50% year-on-year, while applicable gross revenue grew 9.52% and AGR rose 9.19%. Compared with January–March 2026, the three measures increased by 1.60%, 2.43% and 2.40%, respectively.
The difference between these measures matters. Gross revenue represents a broader revenue measure, while applicable gross revenue and AGR are calculated under the regulatory framework used for telecom licence fees and related charges. AGR is therefore not the same as the revenue from operations reported in a company’s financial results, nor is it a measure of profit.
Access services accounted for 83.85% of the sector’s AGR, underlining the importance of mobile and other access connectivity to telecom revenue. The remaining share came from other telecom services included in TRAI’s reporting framework.
ARPU and Data Consumption Continue to Rise
TRAI reported average monthly ARPU of Rs 187.12 for wireless services in April–June 2026. That was 1.19% higher than the Rs 184.91 recorded in the previous quarter and 3.11% above the level a year earlier.
The report also showed that average mobile data usage per wireless data subscriber increased to 28.39 GB per month, up 6.32% quarter-on-quarter. Total wireless mobile data traffic rose 8.30% to 84,424 petabytes during the quarter.
Yet the average revenue realised per GB of wireless data declined 5.07%, from Rs 7.51 in January–March to Rs 7.13 in April–June. This indicates that data consumption grew even as the average revenue earned per unit of data fell. The figures are consistent with a market in which customers continue to consume more data, but operators’ revenue growth depends on a combination of usage, subscriber mix, pricing and other services.
TRAI’s sector-wide ARPU should not be directly compared with a particular operator’s reported ARPU without checking the definitions and reporting periods. Company results can use different subscriber and revenue bases.
Subscriber Growth Supports the Revenue Trend
India’s total telephone subscriber base reached 1,348.08 million at the end of June 2026, up 1.31% from March. Wireless mobile subscriptions increased to 1,282.38 million, while the combined mobile and fixed-wireless-access subscriber base reached 1,300.25 million.
Internet subscriptions rose to 1,114.17 million, including 1,087.50 million broadband subscriptions. The broadband base grew 2.03% during the quarter, while wireline subscribers declined 0.88% to 47.82 million.
These figures suggest that telecom revenue growth is occurring alongside continued expansion in internet access and data use. However, subscriber additions alone do not determine revenue growth: the value of each customer, service mix, discounts, usage and operating costs also influence financial performance.
What TRAI’s Latest Numbers Mean for the Industry
The April–June report shows that India’s telecom sector continued to expand its revenue base, with Jio holding the largest reported share of access AGR and Bharti recording faster annual growth than its main private-sector rivals. The broader rise in data traffic and broadband subscriptions also points to sustained demand for connectivity.
The next question is whether operators can translate usage and subscriber growth into stronger revenue per customer while financing network expansion and maintaining service quality. AGR is one important regulatory indicator, but company earnings, cash flow, debt, capital expenditure and ARPU provide additional context.
TRAI’s figures cover April–June 2026, even though the report was released in October. They should therefore be read as a snapshot of the first quarter of FY27, not as a measure of telecom revenue in the October quarter.
