India Set to Surpass 1 Billion 5G Users by 2031
India is projected to achieve a massive milestone of 1 billion 5G subscriptions by 2031, representing 79% penetration nationwide, according to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report. This explosive growth comes just three years after 5G services began rolling out across the country.
Key Takeaways
- India to reach 1 billion 5G subscriptions by 2031 (79% penetration)
- 394 million 5G users expected by end of 2025 (32% of mobile subscriptions)
- Average data consumption to surge from 36GB to 65GB per month by 2031
- Global 5G subscriptions to hit 6.4 billion by 2031
Rapid 5G Adoption in India
The November 2025 Ericsson Mobility Report confirms India as one of the world’s fastest-growing 5G markets. By the end of 2025, the country is expected to have 394 million 5G users, accounting for nearly one-third of all mobile subscriptions.
Ericsson India MD Nitin Bansal highlighted that India already leads globally in mobile data usage, with average consumption at 36 GB per month per smartphone. This is projected to nearly double to 65 GB by 2031.
“Affordable 5G FWA (Fixed Wireless Access) equipment and heavy data usage are driving this surge,” Bansal stated.
Global 5G Expansion
Worldwide, 5G subscriptions are forecast to reach 6.4 billion by 2031, representing approximately two-thirds of all mobile subscriptions. In 2025 alone, global 5G subscriptions are expected to grow by 600 million, reaching 2.9 billion.
Network coverage is expanding rapidly, with 400 million more people gaining 5G access in 2025. By year-end, half of the global population outside mainland China is expected to have 5G coverage.
Data Traffic and FWA Growth
Mobile network data traffic increased 20% between Q3 2024 and Q3 2025, primarily driven by India and China. By 2025, 5G networks will handle 43% of all mobile data, projected to jump to 83% by 2031.
Fixed Wireless Access continues to emerge as a major 5G application. The report estimates 1.4 billion people will connect through FWA by 2031, with 90% of these users on 5G networks.
Currently, 159 service providers offer 5G-based FWA services, representing about 65% of all FWA operators worldwide.
