India crosses 5 lakh 5G towers despite slower growth

India added over 4,100 new 5G base transceiver stations (BTS) in October 2025, a decline from the more than 6,400 installations recorded in September of the same year. Despite the slower pace, the country’s overall 5G infrastructure continues to grow steadily, with the total number of deployed BTS now exceeding 508,000 nationwide.

According to data from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), as of the end of October 2025, India had 508,732 active 5G BTS, up from 504,588 in September. This indicates that 4,144 new stations were added during October, compared to 6,453 in September, reflecting a temporary moderation in the rollout pace.

Meanwhile, the DoT has been highlighting on social media the progress of BSNL’s indigenously developed 4G technology, which is helping connect rural India. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), the department stated,“BSNL, with its indigenous 4G, is making everything easier, from farming and education to healthcare and employment.”

This initiative underscores the government’s continued emphasis on expanding affordable and inclusive digital connectivity across the country, even as 5G deployment advances at a measured pace.

 India's 5G BTS deployments

Credit: DoT