Bharti Airtel Leads February Mobile Additions, Jio Retains Top Spot in Wireless Subscribers

Q: What was the total wireless subscriber base in India as of February 2026?

The total wireless subscriber base reached **1.273 billion**.

Q: Which telecom operator had the highest active user ratio?

Bharti Airtel had the highest active user ratio at **99.42%**.

Original: Airtel tops February mobile adds, while Jio holds lead in wireless base

The Economic Times•Apr 1, 20263 min

In a Nutshell

In February 2026, Bharti Airtel Ltd added 4.86 million wireless mobile subscribers, leading the market, while Reliance Jio maintained its position as the largest operator with 493.11 million subscribers. The total wireless subscriber base in India grew by 6.97 million to 1.273 billion.

Key Points

01Bharti Airtel added 4.86 million subscribers in February 2026.
02Reliance Jio remains the largest wireless operator with 493.11 million subscribers.
03Vodafone Idea's growth was minimal, adding only 21,927 users.
04Total wireless subscriber base in India reached 1.273 billion.
05The active user ratio for Airtel was 99.42%, the highest in the market.

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Full Summary

In February 2026, Bharti Airtel Ltd led the Indian wireless market by adding 4.86 million subscribers, bringing its total to 472.65 million. Reliance Jio, however, retained its title as the largest wireless operator with 493.11 million subscribers, despite only gaining 1.62 million users during the month. Vodafone Idea struggled, adding just 21,927 subscribers, while Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) lost 101,824 users. Overall, India's total wireless subscriber base increased by 6.97 million to reach 1.273 billion, with urban areas contributing significantly to this growth. The active user ratio was highest for Bharti Airtel at 99.42%, followed by Jio at 98.35%. The broadband segment also saw growth, with total subscribers rising to 1.059 billion, led by Jio's 519.64 million broadband users. The competition remains fierce, with 14.47 million mobile number portability requests filed in February.

Key Figures

4.86 million

Subscribers added by Bharti Airtel in February 2026

493.11 million

Total subscribers of Reliance Jio

1.273 billion

Total wireless subscriber base in India

14.47 million

Mobile number portability requests in February

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Why It Matters

The competition among telecom providers may lead to better service offerings and pricing for consumers. Increased subscriber numbers indicate a growing demand for mobile services, especially in urban areas.

Who is affected

mobile phone users and broadband consumers in India

What to know

Consumers should compare plans and services from different providers to find the best options.

FAQ

The total wireless subscriber base reached 1.273 billion.

Bharti Airtel had the highest active user ratio at 99.42%.

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