5G users in India consume up to 3.6x more data compared to 4G: Nokia report

5G users in India are using approximately 3.6 times as much mobile data traffic compared to 4G since October 2022, according to Nokia's annual Indian market focused Mobile Broadband Index (MBiT).

With a CAGR of 26 percent in the last five years, mobile data traffic in India reached 17.4 EB per month in 2023, with 5G contributing to 15 percent of all data traffic in the past year. The average monthly data traffic per user also surged by 24 percent YoY in 2023, reaching 24.1GB per user per month, the report reveals.

"The report shows the incredible proliferation of 5G technology across India and the increasing demand for super-fast 5G data speeds. Nokia looks forward to continuing to work together with our operator partners to help them meet customer demand," said Tarun Chhabra, Head of Mobile Networks Business, India at Nokia.

Below are the key insights from the Nokia MBiT 2024 report:

• Enhanced 5G availability and performance, coupled with the availability of affordable devices, as well as the introduction of new data-intensive apps and services will further drive 5G growth.
• The rise of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) will also serve as a key enabler for new services in both the home and business with FWA users expected to consume an estimated 2.5 times more data than average 5G users.
• The 5G device ecosystem in India is rapidly evolving, with approximately 17 percent of active 4G devices, totalling 134 million out of 796 million, now being 5G capable.