Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) broadband is rapidly gaining traction in rural India, challenging the long-held notion that it is a premium service suited only for urban metros. According to the latest data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), nearly 44% of Reliance Jio’s FWA users—around 2.5 million—are from rural areas. Jio currently has a total of 5.57 million FWA subscribers, commanding 82% of the national market.
FWA Adoption Grows Beyond Urban Centres
Though FWA services are available across the country, Andhra Pradesh leads in rural subscriber numbers, accounting for 8.7% of Jio’s rural user base. This is followed by Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh (East), and Tamil Nadu. The rapid rural adoption shows that affordability and accessibility are no longer urban privileges when it comes to high-speed broadband.
Airtel, which entered the FWA space in September 2023, holds the remaining market share and is currently focusing on urban rollouts. Yet, the combined growth of Jio and Airtel has already surpassed global projections—crossing 6.79 million subscribers by March 2024, ahead of the GSMA Intelligence estimate of 6 million by end-2025.
India Emerges as a Global FWA Leader
With nearly one-fifth of the global FWA market, India ranks second only to the United States, which currently has 14.7 million FWA connections. However, industry projections suggest that India could outpace the U.S. in the coming years, with an estimated 75–100 million homes connected via FWA or fibre by 2030.
Satellite Broadband May Soon Join the Race
As FWA and fibre expand rapidly, a third major player—satellite broadband—is on the horizon. Companies like Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon’s Kuiper are preparing to launch satellite internet services in India. With millions of affluent rural households still lacking reliable terrestrial connectivity, satellite broadband could find a strong market foothold.
This evolving landscape points to a highly competitive broadband future, driven by a mix of fibre, FWA, and satellite technologies—all working toward bridging India’s digital divide.
