Rural market user adds help BSNL outpace Airtel in Aug: Analysts

Mumbai: State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) surpassed Bharti Airtel in mobile subscriber additions in August 2025, adding 1.4 million new users compared to Airtel’s 0.5 million, according to TRAI data analyzed by JM Financial Institutional Securities Limited.

BSNL’s had a strong monthly performance compared to recent months as it had a sharp recovery in rural markets which added around 1 million subscribers, following losses in preceding months, according to a Morgan Stanley India Telecoms report.