Unveiling the Telecom Landscape: Insights from the Comprehensive Modular Survey 2025

Unveiling the Telecom Landscape: Insights from the Comprehensive Modular Survey 2025

The Comprehensive Modular Survey: Telecom, 2025 has shed light on significant trends in mobile phone usage and internet access across different demographics. The findings reveal high mobile usage among youth, with approximately 97.1% of individuals aged 15-29 years using mobile phones, including smartphones, in the three months preceding the survey. Internet access in rural areas stands at 92.7% among this age group, slightly lower than the 95.7% in urban areas.

Gender Disparities in Mobile Usage

Gender disparities are apparent, especially in mobile phone ownership. In rural regions, 76.3% of women use mobile phones, but only 48.4% own them. This contrasts with urban women, where 86.8% use and 71.8% own mobile phones. The ownership gap is pronounced in rural areas, indicating significant gender gaps in both ownership and usage compared to urban areas.

Household Connectivity and Digital Engagement

Household access to technology also shows promising figures, with 85.5% having at least one smartphone and 86.3% having internet access. Digital engagement is on the rise, as 85.1% of youth have sent messages with attached files recently, highlighting increased digital activity.

Key Implications of the Survey Findings

The survey underscores a persistent gender digital divide; rural women's phone ownership (48.4%) is considerably lower than rural men's (80.7%), indicating barriers in technology access. Despite high overall usage, regional disparities remain, potentially limiting rural women's social and economic participation.

High mobile and internet penetration offers economic potential by promoting financial inclusion, digital literacy, and new economic opportunities. Enhanced digital access could lead to new job avenues in fields like e-commerce and IT, but the gender divide may hinder rural women from fully benefiting.

Policy Recommendations to Address Challenges

• Promote Gender Inclusion: Initiatives to improve mobile ownership among rural women, such as subsidies or community-based phone-sharing, are crucial.
• Enhance Digital Literacy: Community training programs focused on digital skills for women and disadvantaged groups should be conducted.
• Improve Connectivity Infrastructure: Expanding affordable internet coverage and ensuring reliable service in rural and remote areas is essential.
• Encourage Digital Finance Platforms: Strengthening awareness of online banking and UPI platforms can integrate rural populations into the formal economy.
• Foster Public-Private Partnerships: Collaborating with private technology and telecom firms can address affordability and accessibility challenges.
• Address Social Norms: Community outreach programs are necessary to reduce gender biases and cultural barriers that restrict women's mobile use.

Broader Societal and Governance Outcomes

Bridging the digital divide can significantly empower women, contributing to gender equality and inclusive growth. Enhanced connectivity and access to digital tools can boost rural markets and small businesses. Moreover, greater internet penetration can facilitate e-governance, improving the delivery of public services in rural areas.