Jio leads India’s 5G user growth, widens gap over Airtel

Over the past two years, Reliance Jio, India’s largest telecom operator, has added the highest number of 5G users in the country. This comparison refers exclusively to mobile 5G or enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) subscribers and excludes 5G fixed-wireless access (FWA) connections. Given Jio’s extensive 5G footprint nationwide, this trend is not unexpected. The operator has historically taken a more aggressive approach than its peers in terms of pricing and rapid network deployment.

According to data cited by CLSA and referenced by Bharti Airtel, Airtel added around 102 million 5G users over a two-year period. During the same timeframe, Jio added approximately 144 million 5G users, highlighting a sizeable gap between the two operators. While both companies have included 5G-related metrics in their quarterly disclosures, the underlying figures are attributed to CLSA’s analysis.

As handset upgrades continue and Jio’s 5G network expands into more regions, the operator could approach the 300 million 5G user mark by the end of FY26. Vodafone Idea (Vi) is not included in this comparison, as it began rolling out 5G services only in 2025 and has yet to disclose a separate count of its 5G subscribers.

Currently, both Jio and Airtel require customers to be on plans offering at least 2GB of daily data to access 5G services. Vodafone Idea, by contrast, offers 5G on tariffs starting at Rs 299 in most circles. If Vi reports standalone 5G subscriber numbers in its December 2025 quarter results, due in January 2026, it could provide further insight into the competitive landscape.

Jio also leads in 5G FWA additions, strong momentum in UBR services 

Separately, in October 2025, Jio also added more 5G FWA subscribers than Airtel. Jio remains the only operator offering services using unlicensed band radio (UBR), giving it a distinct advantage in that segment. Airtel does not currently offer UBR-based services and is limited to licensed-band FWA.

According to the latest monthly performance data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Jio’s FWA subscriber base increased from 7.08 million in September 2025 to 7.39 million in October 2025, an addition of 0.31 million users. Airtel’s FWA base grew from 2.31 million to 2.51 million during the same period, adding 0.19 million users. While Jio recorded higher absolute growth, Airtel’s month-on-month growth rate was stronger at 8.42%, compared with Jio’s 4.41%.

In the UBR category, Jio’s subscriber base rose from 2.48 million to 2.83 million, representing a monthly increase of around 0.35 million users and a month-on-month growth rate of 14.30%.