Mobile Connections Decline: India Sees 2.5%, Rajasthan 3% Drop in Subscribers

There has been a 2.5% decrease in mobile connections nationwide and a 3% decrease in Rajasthan over the past 5 years. Rising tariffs and the inconvenience of maintaining two SIM cards have led to a decline in the number of subscribers, causing concern among telecom companies.

Jaipur: A decline in the number of mobile phone users in Rajasthan has raised concerns among telecom companies. However, this decrease is not limited to Rajasthan alone; it's a nationwide trend. Over the past five years, Rajasthan's teledensity has fallen from 83.08 per cent (2021) to 80.03 per cent (2025), representing a decrease of approximately three per cent.

Experts attribute this primarily to rising mobile tariffs and the inconvenience of maintaining two SIM cards. Previously, consumers often held connections with different companies to take advantage of various offers. However, expensive plans and stricter regulations have led many to discontinue extra connections. This situation is highlighted in a report by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

Understanding Teledensity

Teledensity refers to the number of mobile connections per hundred people. For instance, Rajasthan's teledensity of 80.03 percent indicates that 80 percent of the population has a mobile connection, or that there are that many connections relative to the population.

Persistent Infrastructure Issues and Call Drops

- Increased network problems and call drops.
- Reportedly, inadequate data speeds and an imbalance between resources and the number of users in certain areas are contributing factors.
- Mobile operators haven't significantly upgraded their infrastructure, while consumer numbers and data usage have increased rapidly.

Teledensity Differences and State Comparisons

- Uttar Pradesh: 69.17 per cent in 2021, 66.92 per cent in 2025.
- Punjab: 126.05 per cent in 2021, 111.71 per cent in 2025.
- Gujarat: 100.17 per cent in 2021, 93.25 per cent in 2025.
- West Bengal: 85.46 per cent in 2021, 81.83 per cent in 2025.
- Haryana: 96.28 per cent in 2021, 88.45 per cent in 2025.
- Maharashtra: 108.45 per cent in 2021, 103.02 per cent in 2025.
- Himachal Pradesh: 148.72 per cent in 2021, 120.60 per cent in 2025.

Teledensity Overview

- National teledensity: 88.51 per cent in 2021, 86.15 per cent in 2025.
- Rajasthan teledensity: 83.08 per cent in 2021, 80.03 per cent in 2025.
- Rajasthan's current teledensity is 6.12 per cent lower than the national average.
- Himachal Pradesh recorded a 28.12 per cent decrease in teledensity.
- Punjab recorded a 14.34 per cent decrease in teledensity.
- Kerala recorded a 9.83 per cent decrease in teledensity.