Bharti Airtel has once again proved why it is a top player in the Indian telecom sector. The company released its financial results for the third quarter of the financial year 2026 today. The numbers show a massive shift in how people use the internet. Data usage has hit an all-time high. More people are buying smartphones and moving to the Airtel network. The company reported a sharp rise in profit and revenue. This signals strong growth despite global economic challenges.
The telecom giant revealed that an average customer now uses nearly 30 GB of data every single month. This is a huge jump from the previous year. It shows that Indians are streaming, gaming, and working online more than ever. Airtel also added millions of new subscribers to its network. The leadership team credited this success to their focus on quality customers and network expansion. These results have set a positive mood for investors and market watchers.
Smartphone Usage Hits New Peak
The most striking part of the report is the surge in data consumption. Airtel customers used an average of 29.8 GB of data per month in the quarter ending December 2025. This represents a 29.2% increase compared to the same time last year. It is clear that the digital appetite of Indian consumers is not slowing down.
This growth is directly linked to the rise in smartphone ownership. Airtel reported that 79% of its total mobile customers now use a smartphone. This is a significant milestone for the company. It means nearly 8 out of 10 users are on high-speed networks.
Key Subscriber Stats:
- Total Smartphone Adds: The company gained 20.8 million new smartphone users over the last year.
- Quarterly Growth: Just in the last three months, 5.2 million smartphone users joined the network.
- Total Customer Base: The total number of customers in India reached 466 million. This is a strong 12.6% jump from last year.
Industry Insight: The rapid shift from feature phones to smartphones is the main engine driving this data boom. As affordable 5G devices flood the market, users are naturally consuming more high-definition video content.
The company is winning the war for premium customers. Postpaid users are generally seen as more loyal and profitable. Airtel said its postpaid base grew by 11.1% to reach 28.1 million. They added 620,000 new postpaid users in just this quarter alone. This shows that families and businesses are preferring Airtel for their primary connection.
Revenue and Profit Soar High
Financial health is the backbone of any telecom operator. Airtel delivered strong numbers in this area as well. The consolidated revenue for the quarter stood at Rs 53,982 crore. This is a solid 19.6% growth compared to the previous year. The India business contributed a major chunk with Rs 39,226 crore in revenue.
The net income figures brought cheer to the stakeholders. Airtel posted a net income of Rs 6,920 crore. This is a significant improvement from Rs 5,514 crore in the same quarter last fiscal year. It shows that the company is managing its costs well while growing its sales.
Financial Snapshot (Figures in Crores):
| Metric | Q3 FY25 | Q3 FY26 | Growth (YoY) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Revenue | Rs 45,135 | Rs 53,982 | +19.6% |
| Net Income | Rs 5,514 | Rs 6,920 | +25.5% |
| EBITDA | Rs 24,875 | Rs 31,144 | +25.2% |
The earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) margin stood at a healthy 57.7%. In India, this margin was even higher at 60.4%. This indicates high operational efficiency. The company is spending money to earn money, but it is doing so very smartly.
A critical metric for telecom companies is the Average Revenue Per User (ARPU). This number tells us how much money the company makes from one customer. Airtel reported a mobile ARPU of Rs 259. This is up from Rs 245 last year. A higher ARPU is essential for telecom firms. It helps them recover the billions they spend on buying spectrum and building towers.
Home Internet Business Breaks Records
While mobile is the biggest business, the home broadband segment is the dark horse. Airtel Homes recorded its best performance ever. The segment added 1.159 million new customers in a single quarter. This is the highest quarterly addition in the history of the company.
The total user base for home internet now stands at 13.1 million. This is a massive 32.6% jump from last year. Revenue from this segment also grew by the same percentage to hit Rs 2,000.8 crore.
Several factors are driving this growth:
- Work from Home: Hybrid work models are still popular in metro cities.
- Smart TVs: People need high speed Wi-Fi to stream content on big screens.
- Network Expansion: Airtel has rapidly expanded its fiber reach to smaller towns.
However, not all segments grew. The Digital TV (DTH) business saw a decline. The customer base dropped by 2.5% to 15.4 million. This reflects a global trend where users are cutting the cord. People are moving away from traditional cable and dish TV to OTT apps like Netflix and Hotstar. Airtel is likely trying to counter this by bundling apps with its fiber plans.
Business and Network Investments
Airtel is not just about individual consumers. The business-to-business (B2B) arm also showed steady progress. Airtel Business reported a revenue of Rs 5,353.1 crore. This segment grew by 1.5% from the previous quarter.
The growth here comes from digital services. Companies are buying more cloud storage, cybersecurity solutions, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices from Airtel. As Indian industries digitize, they need a reliable partner. Airtel is positioning itself as that partner.
Spending to Grow:
To support all this traffic, you need a robust network. Airtel is pouring money into infrastructure.
- Network Expenses: Operating costs for the network rose by 14.5% to Rs 9,878.6 crore. This money goes into maintaining towers, power costs, and spectrum usage.
- Marketing: The company also spent more on sales and marketing. These expenses grew by 17.1% to Rs 3,426.9 crore. This explains the aggressive customer acquisition we see in the smartphone and homes segments.
The company is clearly in an investment phase. They are building a network for the future. The focus on “quality customers” over just raw numbers seems to be paying off. By focusing on smartphone users and postpaid clients, they ensure a steady stream of high revenue.
The dip in DTH users is a concern but expected. The massive growth in home broadband acts as a hedge against this. If a user leaves DTH, they likely join Airtel Fiber. So, the customer stays within the Airtel ecosystem.
To sum it up, Bharti Airtel has delivered a power-packed quarter. The surge in data usage to nearly 30 GB is a testament to India’s digital revolution. With strong financials and a growing user base, the company looks set to dominate the market in the coming year.
We want to hear from you. Are you using more mobile data now than you did last year? Do you think 30 GB a month is enough for the average user?
