India has the world’s second-largest telecommunications market and continues to expand progressively. As of June 2024, the nation’s total telephone subscriber base stood at an impressive 1.2 billion, reflecting the sector's robust growth trajectory over the last decade. The rapid rise in mobile phone penetration and declining data costs is expected to bring 500 million new internet users online in the next five years. As India’s telecommunications industry proliferates, TeamLease Services highlights a positive employment outlook in the sector through its ‘Employment Outlook Report’ for H1 FY25.
Teamlease Services indicates a moderate net employment growth of 5.62 per cent. In the Union Budget 2024, the government took a crucial initiative to nurture further the country’s telecom, ISP & allied industry. The Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) of specific telecom equipment was increased from 10 to 15 per cent to incentivise domestic manufacturing. Also, to enhance ‘Ease of Doing Business’, the Government is working on the Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0. These moves will pave the way for new business models and job opportunities in the telecom sector.
There is an increasing demand for young talent in customer-facing and technology roles that support the industry's field operations and network infrastructure. Roles include field sales executives, customer relationship executives, retail executives, installation engineers, fiber repair executives and cell site repair staff. The sector also saw increasing investments in network infrastructure to support growing data traffic and meet the demand for high-speed internet and communication services. This demand is further bolstered by the rise of enterprise applications and IoT, highlighting the ongoing expansion of 5G networks and advanced telecommunications solutions. The domestic telecom equipment manufacturers, which includes CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) and networking equipment (Routers, Multiplexers, wireless radio equipment, etc), who are also the beneficiaries of the Government’s PLI scheme, are instrumental in creating incremental telecom manufacturing jobs.
Regarding workforce size dynamics, Teamlease Services’ report indicates that 62 per cent of telecom, ISP & allied industry respondents are planning to increase their workforce, while 17 per cent foresee a reduction. The remaining 21 per cent expect no change in their workforce size for H1 FY25. This trend is particularly pronounced in certain cities, with Delhi leading at 57 per cent for employers expanding their workforce in existing job locations, followed closely by Bengaluru and Chennai at 53 per cent each. Hyderabad and Bhopal top the hiring list for new job locations with 20 per cent each, followed by Bengaluru, Vadodara, and Jaipur at 19 per cent each.
Subburathinam P, CSO-Staffing, TeamLease Services, said, “As the backbone of the digital economy, the Indian telecom, ISP & allied industry is driving innovation, connectivity, and job creation across the country. Our recent Employment Outlook Report underlines this positive trajectory, highlighting how the sector's expansion opens doors for specialized roles, particularly in ICT, AI, and engineering. Hiring in the sector is likely to increase, as 62% of respondents plan to expand their workforce, driven by the growing momentum in broadband expansion, exponential IoT implementation, and advancements in AI, robotics, and cloud computing”.
As India navigates its digital future, the telecom, ISP & allied industry is poised for continued growth. TeamLease Services remains committed to providing valuable insights into this dynamic sector, helping businesses and job seekers capitalize on the opportunities ahead.
