Telcos’ AGR grows 2.53% in March quarter; Jio tops at ₹22,985 cr

The telecom industry recorded a 2.53% sequential growth in adjusted gross revenue (AGR) in the January-March quarter of the financial year 2022-23, while the year-on-year growth in AGR was recorded at 11.12%, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) data released today shows.

The telecom regulator, in its report 'Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report' for the January-March 2023 quarter, says access services contributed 80.06% of the total AGR of telecom services.

Among all telcos, Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio saw 1.70% growth in AGR sequentially, while annually it grew 11.25% to ₹22,985 crore. Sunil Mittal-led Bharti Airtel followed with 1.15% growth on a QoQ basis, while 15.29% growth on YoY basis at ₹18,500.36 crore.

Vodafone Idea and state-owned MTNL reported negative growth in AGR at 1.61% (₹7,210.63 crore) and 3.70% (₹181.64), respectively. BSNL and Tata's AGR growth was recorded at 4.93% and 4.38%, respectively.

Industry-wise, the telecom service providers' gross revenue (GR) decreased 3.19% to ₹85,356 crore as March 2023 quarter, while applicable gross revenue (ApGR) increased by 2.62% to ₹78,631 crore and adjusted gross revenue (AGR) increased 2.53% to ₹64,494 crore.

On a YoY basis, GR increased by 11.69%, ApGR increased by 11.12%, and AGR increased by 9.52% in QE Mar-23, the TRAI data shows.

Prepaid average revenue per user (ARPU) per month increased from ₹137.71 in the quarter ending December 2022 to ₹139.63 in QE Mar-23, however, postpaid ARPU per month decreased from ₹182.30 in QE Dec-22 to ₹173.50 in QE Mar-23.

The industry's license fee increased from ₹5,031 crore for the QE Dec-22 to ₹5,159 crore for the QE Mar-23, growing at 2.53% and 9.47%, respectively, in this quarter.

The telcos' monthly ARPU for wireless service increased 0.83% to ₹142.32 in QE Mar-23 and 11.91% on a YoY basis.

The total number of internet subscribers increased from 865.90 million at the end of Dec-22 to 881.25 million at the end of Mar-23, a 1.77% growth. Of this, the number of wired internet subscribers is 33.94 million, and wireless at 847.31 million.

The internet subscriber base comprises a broadband internet subscriber base of 846.57 million and a narrowband internet subscriber base of 34.69 million.

While the broadband internet subscriber base increased by 1.73% to 846.57 million quarterly, the narrowband internet subscriber base increased by 2.94% to 34.69 million at the end of March 23. The number of telephone subscribers in India increased from 1,170.38 million at the end of Dec-22 to 1,172.34 million at the end of Mar-23, registering a growth rate of 0.17% over the previous quarter and YoY growth of 0.46%.