TRAI insights: BSNL’s active user base grows despite overall subscriber loss

One of the key indicators used to assess the performance of telecom operators in terms of subscriber engagement is the number of Visitor Location Register (VLR) users, which reflects the count of active subscribers. This metric highlights how many customers within a telecom operator’s overall subscriber base are actively using and paying for services.

Notably, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) recorded an increase in its active user base, an encouraging development given its ongoing challenges in the competitive telecom market. BSNL’s VLR subscribers rose by 1.15 million, from 55.95 million in May 2025 to 57.10 million in June 2025. This growth in active users stands in contrast to the operator’s overall wireless subscriber base, which declined by 0.30 million over the month.

Reliance Jio has consistently maintained a commanding lead in the number of active users. In June 2025, it recorded the largest increase in VLR subscribers across the industry, adding 7.91 million active users. Jio’s active user base rose from 456.55 million in May 2025 to 464.46 million in June 2025. Bharti Airtel also reported a rise in active subscribers, with its VLR base growing by 2.82 million, from 385.58 million to 388.40 million during the same period. These figures were published in the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) monthly performance indicator report.

Vodafone Idea (Vi), however, was the only major telecom operator to report a month-on-month decline in its active user base. Vi’s VLR subscribers fell from 174.21 million in May 2025 to 172.65 million in June 2025, a drop of 1.56 million. Additionally, the company’s total subscriber base decreased by 0.21 million to reach 204.22 million. By contrast, both Jio and Airtel saw an overall growth in total subscribers, gaining 1.91 million and 0.76 million, respectively.

While Jio and Airtel continue to dominate in both active and overall subscriber metrics, BSNL’s positive movement in VLR numbers may offer some optimism for the state-run operator amid a highly competitive telecom environment