Average 5G data consumption in India has peaked to 40GB per user per month and its total subscriber base is expected to grow by 2.65 times to around 770 million in the next three years, from 290 million in 2024, telecom gear maker Nokia said on Thursday. It said that the subscriber base may grow by around 120 million every year.
Mix of data consumption across 4G, 5G, has increased by compounded annual growth rate of 19.5 per cent over five years to 27.5 GB in 2024, it said adding that overall 5G data traffic will surpass 4G data traffic by the first quarter of 2026.
According to the its annual Mobile Broadband Index (MBiT) report, Nokia said that Category B and C circles (Urban/ Metro areas) led the growth, with 5G data consumption increasing by 3.4 times and 3.2 times, respectively.
The expansion of 5G networks in these circles has been a key enabler of this growth. In Metro circles, 5G data usage now accounts for 43 per cent of total mobile broadband data, up from 20 per cent in 2023, while 4G data growth is declining, it said.
The report also noted that the continued rise of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) is driving increased data usage, with FWA users now consuming over 12 times more data than the average mobile data user, driven by new services in both residential and business settings
“Average 5G data consumption in India per user was recorded at 40GB in December 2024. We expect the 5G user base to grow to around 770 million by 2028 from 290 million in 2024. The 5G device ecosystem in India also continues to evolve rapidly, with the number of active 5G devices doubling year-on-year to reach 271 million (out of 844 million active 4G devices, 271 million are 5G-capable) in 2024,” Sandeep Saxena, Head of Technology and Solutions (Mobile Networks), Nokia India told reporters here.
He said the device ecosystem is also expected to accelerate, with nearly 90 per cent of smartphones to be replaced in 2025 are expected to be 5G-capable. Nearly four out of five smartphones replaced in 2024 were 5G-capable, he noted.
