5G subscriptions in India are projected to reach around 700 million by the end of 2028 and average data traffic per smartphone is projected to grow from 26 GB per month in 2022 to around 62 GB per month in 2028.
According to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report, 5G subscriptions reached around 10 million by the end of 2022 and are estimated to account for about 57 per cent of mobile subscriptions in the country by the end of 2028, making it the fastest growing 5G region globally.
The report also highlighted that smartphone subscriptions in India as a percentage of total mobile subscriptions are expected to grow from 76 per cent in 2022 to 93 per cent in 2028. It added that 4G subscriptions are expected to decline from 820 million in 2022 to 500 million by 2028.
By 2028, 5G is estimated to account for almost 80 per cent of all fixed wireless access (FWA) connections, it said.
Nitin Bansal, Head of Ericsson India and Head of Network Solutions for Southeast Asia, Oceania and India, Ericsson, said, “Mobile networks continue to play a pivotal role in driving social and economic inclusion in the country. The strong digital infrastructure being established in India will help the country bridge the digital divide, create jobs, drive entrepreneurship and boost the economy.”
The number of smartphone subscriptions is also projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of five per cent, reaching over 1.14 billion by 2028 in India from 840 million at the end of 2022, he said.
Continued investments
The report noted that 5G subscriptions are rising in every region worldwide and forecast to reach 1.5 billion by the end of 2023. Global mobile network data traffic continues to grow with the monthly global average usage per smartphone expected to exceed 20 GB by the end of 2023.
“Despite geopolitical challenges and a macroeconomic slowdown in some markets, communications service providers worldwide are continuing to invest in 5G,” the report indicated.
Following the launch of 5G services in October 2022, the major 5G Indian market is witnessing huge network deployments under its Digital India initiative, it added.
Published on June 22, 2023
