 "India leads in 5G growth with 270 million users expected by end of 2024")
India is projected to have 270 million 5G subscribers by the end of 2024, making up 23 per cent of the country’s mobile subscriptions, according to Ericsson’s latest mobility report. This represents a significant rise from the 110–120 million 5G users recorded in 2023.
While 5G adoption is surging, 4G remains the dominant mobile subscription type, accounting for 54 per cent of total subscriptions. However, with the ongoing 5G rollout, 4G subscriptions are expected to decline sharply, from 640 million in 2024 to just 240 million by 2030, representing 18 per cent of total subscriptions.
India’s role in the global FWA market
Ericsson’s report notes that India is set to account for 20 per cent of global fixed wireless access (FWA) subscriptions by 2030. FWA, which delivers broadband to specific locations like homes or businesses via radio signals instead of cables, is among the first use cases for 5G in India.
Indian telecom operators Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have been at the forefront of the 5G rollout. Jio is using advanced standalone architecture (SA), while Airtel employs non-standalone architecture. These efforts have driven India’s extensive mid-band deployments, expected to cover 95 per cent of the population by the end of 2024.
India also leads globally in monthly average data consumption per smartphone, with users consuming 32 GB compared to the global average of 19 GB. Ericsson estimates this figure will grow to 66 GB by 2030, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13 per cent.
Looking ahead, Ericsson predicts early deployments of 6G in 2030, with a continued focus on 5G standalone and 5G advanced technologies. By then, 5G is expected to handle 80 per cent of global mobile data traffic, underscoring its pivotal role in the telecom industry.
(With agency inputs)