India 5G subscriptions to hit 1.1 billion by 2031: Ericsson report
Synopsis
India's 5G subscriber base stood at 430 million at end-2025 and is projected to more than double to 1.1 billion by 2031 — an 81% penetration rate. With 4G expected to shrink from 570 million to 160 million users in the same period, and monthly data consumption per device set to hit 70 GB, India is on track to become one of the world's largest and most data-hungry 5G markets.
Key Takeaways
India is projected to reach 1.1 billion 5G subscriptions by 2031 , equating to 81 per cent subscription penetration, per an Ericsson report.
5G subscriptions already stood at 430 million at the end of 2025 , covering 35 per cent of mobile users.
4G subscriptions are forecast to fall from 570 million in 2025 to 160 million by 2031 as users migrate to 5G.
India leads globally in mobile data consumption, with average monthly usage at 37 GB per smartphone, expected to reach 70 GB by 2031 .
Global 5G subscriptions crossed the 3 billion mark in Q1 2026 , with 5G SA network slicing offerings expanding commercially.
India is on course to surpass 1.1 billion 5G subscriptions by the end of 2031, translating to roughly 81 per cent subscription penetration, according to a report released on Tuesday, 16 June by Ericsson. The projection underscores the pace at which India's mobile landscape is shifting away from 4G toward next-generation connectivity.
Where India Stands Today
5G subscriptions in India reached 430 million by the close of 2025, representing 35 per cent of total mobile subscriptions, according to the Ericsson report. Despite this rapid uptake, 4G remains the dominant technology, still accounting for 46 per cent of mobile subscriptions at present.
The report projects a sharp reversal of that balance: 4G subscriptions are expected to contract from approximately 570 million in 2025 to nearly 160 million by 2031, as the bulk of users migrate to 5G networks over the next six years.
Key Drivers of 5G Growth
Ericsson attributes the acceleration to three primary factors: the widespread availability of affordable 5G-enabled smartphones and devices, expanded network coverage reaching almost all districts across the country, and the increasing rollout of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services. An unnamed service provider in India has recently launched differentiated connectivity services based on network slicing for its postpaid 5G customers, signalling the early evolution of advanced 5G use cases in the market.
This comes amid a broader global milestone: 5G mobile subscriptions globally crossed the three billion mark during Q1 2026, with 5G Standalone (SA) network slicing commercial offerings from communications service providers continuing to grow significantly worldwide.
India Leads in Mobile Data Consumption
India continues to lead globally in mobile data consumption per smartphone. Average monthly usage currently stands at 37 GB per device and is expected to nearly double to 70 GB by 2031, driven by surging uplink traffic from communication and collaboration apps, user-generated content sharing, and cloud storage activity.
What Industry Leaders Are Saying
Nitin Bansal, Managing Director of Ericsson India, said: 'India's rapidly growing 5G adoption based on enhanced mobile broadband and 5G FWA is transforming consumer experiences. The robust and secure 5G infrastructure in the country is driving inclusion, governance, and innovation at scale and is serving as a powerful foundation for Digital India.'
What This Means for India's Digital Trajectory
The shift from 4G to 5G at this scale positions India as one of the world's largest 5G markets by subscription volume, alongside China and the United States. Notably, the growth is not being driven solely by premium urban users — affordable device availability and district-level network expansion suggest a broader, more inclusive adoption curve. The expansion of 5G SA network slicing commercial offerings also points to the next phase: enterprises and public-sector bodies leveraging dedicated network performance for industrial and governance applications. How quickly those use cases scale will determine whether India's 5G story is primarily a consumer broadband play or a wider economic enabler.
Point of View
But the more consequential figure is the 4G collapse — from 570 million to 160 million in six years. That migration will stress device affordability and network capacity simultaneously, particularly in semi-urban and rural districts where 4G still dominates. India's global lead in per-device data consumption (37 GB today, 70 GB by 2031) also signals a looming spectrum crunch that regulators and operators have not publicly addressed at scale. The real test of India's 5G story will not be subscription counts but whether enterprise and public-sector use cases — network slicing, private 5G, smart infrastructure — materialise fast enough to justify the infrastructure investment already made.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many 5G subscriptions will India have by 2031?
India is projected to have more than 1.1 billion 5G subscriptions by the end of 2031, representing approximately 81 per cent of total mobile subscriptions, according to an Ericsson report released on 16 June 2025.
How many 5G subscribers does India have right now?
India had 430 million 5G subscriptions at the end of 2025, accounting for 35 per cent of all mobile subscriptions. 4G remains the dominant technology at 46 per cent of the subscriber base.
What will happen to 4G subscriptions in India?
4G subscriptions in India are expected to decline sharply from around 570 million in 2025 to nearly 160 million by 2031, as a large share of users migrate to 5G networks over the next six years.
Why is India's 5G adoption growing so fast?
Ericsson attributes the rapid growth to affordable 5G-enabled smartphones, expanded network coverage across almost all districts, and the increasing rollout of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services. These factors together are accelerating the shift from 4G to 5G across consumer segments.
How does India rank globally in mobile data usage?
India leads the world in mobile data consumption per smartphone. Average monthly usage stands at 37 GB and is expected to nearly double to 70 GB by 2031, driven by communication apps, user-generated content, and cloud storage.
