5G subscriptions in India estimated to grow to 860 million by 2029: Ericsson report

5G subscriptions in India are expected to reach 130 million in 2023 and are estimated to grow to 860 million by 2029, accounting for 68 percent of mobile subscriptions in the region, according to the November 2023 edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.

While 4G continues to be the dominant subscription in the region, 4G subscriptions are forecast to decline from 870 million in 2023 to 390 million by 2029, the report says.

Other key insights from the report include:

• In India, the average data traffic per smartphone is the highest globally and is projected to grow from 31 GB per month in 2023 to around 75 GB per month in 2029.
• Total mobile data traffic is estimated to grow from 26 EB per month in 2023 to 73 EB per month in 2029.
• Smartphone subscriptions as a percentage of total mobile subscriptions are expected to grow from 82 percent in 2023 to 93 percent in 2029.

"Ericsson together with our partners has enabled one of the fastest 5G network deployments across the world and today we are seeing strong 5G adoption in the country. Our global deployment experience and technology leadership has enabled us to support India in its 5G journey. Mobile networks continue to play a pivotal role in driving social and economic inclusion in India, thereby supporting the government’s vision to transform the country into a digitally empowered society," said Nitin Bansal, Head of Ericsson India.

Globally, the Ericsson Mobility Report report estimates that there will be 610 million new 5G subscriptions in 2023, a 63 percent increase over the previous year, bringing the global total to 1.6 billion. The report also confirms enhanced mobile broadband, fixed wireless access (FWA), gaming and augmented/virtual reality-based services as the most common early consumer use cases for 5G.