India’s 5G subscriptions are projected to reach 980 million by 2030, making up nearly 75 per cent of all mobile subscriptions.

As of 2024, India had 290 million 5G subscriptions, making up 24 per cent of total mobile subscriptions, a report by Ericsson Mobility stated on Tuesday.

The report highlighted that the monthly data usage per smartphone in India is projected to rise to 62 GB by 2030 adding that the country also leads globally in data usage, with the highest monthly smartphone data traffic at 32 GB per user.

“This growth is being driven by rising data demand, widespread mid-band spectrum availability, increasing 5G smartphone adoption, and expanding 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) rollouts,” the report said.

The report also said that while 4G remains the dominant subscription type at 53 per cent as of end-2024, it is forecast to decline to 230 million subscriptions by 2030.

“The recent advancements in 5G standalone (SA) networks, coupled with the progress in 5G-enabled devices, have led to an ecosystem poised to unlock transformative opportunities for connected creativity,” Erik Ekudden, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Ericsson, said.

Service providers have recognised this potential of 5G and are beginning to monetise it through innovative service offerings that extend beyond merely selling data plans, he said.

“To fully realise the potential of 5G, it is essential to continue deploying 5G SA and to further build out mid-band sites. 5G SA capabilities serve as a catalyst for driving new business growth opportunities,” Ekudden added.

Published on June 24, 2025