Nokia Mobile Broadband Index (MBiT) 2026 has released its 2025 numbers on data consumption and mobile broadband traffic. It said that India’s average monthly mobile data consumption per user crossed the 31 GB mark with 5G traffic growing by more than 70 per cent year-on-year (YoY).
It also said that pan-India monthly 5G traffic reached 12.9 exabytes (EB) in 2025 and 5G now contributes about 47% of total mobile broadband traffic.
It also said that India has now the world’s second-largest 5G subscriber base, 5G data consumption and 5G FWA user base, highlight strong momentum in 5G adoption in India.
In a statement, it said, “Average monthly mobile data consumption per user increased to over 31 GB in 2025, representing an 18 per cent compound annual growth rate over the past five years. This growth reflects the rapid expansion of enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) and growing demand for data-intensive use cases such as AI applications, 4K video streaming and cloud gaming.”
In 2025, overall data traffic crossed 27 EB per month, “reflecting sustained growth driven by expanding 5G coverage and the growing availability of affordable 5G smartphones.”
The Nokia MBiT Index projected that India’s 5G subscriber base could exceed 1 billion by 2031.
“India’s growing global leadership in 5G connectivity. The country now has the world’s second largest 5G subscriber base and second highest level of 5G data consumption, underlining the scale and maturity of its digital ecosystem,” the report highlights.
In the 5G leads, metro circles continue to lead. In those areas, 5G accounts for 58 per cent of total mobile data traffic.
The report said that growth has driven across Category A, B and C circles, indicating deeper nationwide penetration of 5G connectivity.
“India’s device ecosystem is also evolving rapidly. The number of active 4G devices reached 892 million in 2025, of which over 383 million are already 5G capable, while over 90% of smartphones shipped during the year supported 5G, strengthening readiness for multi-band deployments in 5G,” it said.
Highlighting the impact of the AI supercycle, the report said that it will significantly reshape network traffic patterns.
On India’s leadership in 5G connectivity across the world, the report said, “The country now has the world’s second largest 5G subscriber base and second highest level of 5G data consumption, underlining the scale and maturity of its digital ecosystem.
Vibha Mehra, Country Manager – Designate for India, Nokia, said: “India’s mobile broadband landscape is entering a new phase of evolution, driven by rapid 5G adoption and the growing influence of AI-led applications. As networks transform to support new usage patterns and intelligent services, Nokia remains committed to partnering with telcos to build scalable, high-performance and future-ready connectivity infrastructure.”
(With agency inputs)
