India's 5G subscriptions likely to reach 1.1 billion by 2031: Report
New Delhi, June 16
India is expected to have more than 1.1 billion 5G subscriptions by the end of 2031, reaching about 81 per cent subscription penetration, a report said on Tuesday.
The report from Ericsson said 5G adoption in India continues to grow rapidly, driven by the availability of affordable 5G-enabled smartphones and devices, expanded network coverage across almost all districts, and the increasing rollout of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services.
The number of commercial differentiated connectivity service offerings based on 5G SA network slicing from CSPs continues to grow globally.
5G subscriptions in India reached 430 million at the end of 2025, accounting for 35 per cent of mobile subscriptions, the report said adding that 4G subscriptions are expected to fall from around 570 million in 2025 to nearly 160 million by 2031 as users migrate to 5G.
Currently, 4G remains the dominant technology in India at 46 per cent of mobile subscriptions.
The country also continues to lead globally in mobile data consumption per smartphone, with average monthly usage already at 37 GB and expected to nearly double to 70 GB by 2031.
"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," said Nitin Bansal, Managing Director, Ericsson India.
A service provider in India recently launched differentiated connectivity services based on network slicing for its postpaid 5G customers, signalling the evolution of advanced 5G use cases in the market.
Global 5G mobile subscriptions passed the three billion mark during Q1 2026, while 5G Standalone (SA) network slicing commercial offerings from communications service providers continue to grow significantly.
Uplink traffic is growing faster than downlink for most service providers, driven by smartphone communication and collaboration apps, the sharing of user-generated content, and cloud storage.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Impressive growth, but I'm still not convinced 5G is a game-changer for the average Indian user. In my experience, 4G is more than enough for streaming, browsing, and video calls. Plus, battery drain on 5G devices is terrible. Let's see if the use cases like network slicing actually benefit consumers or just make bills higher.
As someone working in the telecom sector, can confirm the adoption is real. The availability of budget 5G phones under ₹15,000 has made a huge difference. But we need to focus on backhaul connectivity in rural areas - optical fiber penetration is still poor in many districts. 5G FWA could bridge that gap though. Good initiative! 🙏
Interesting stats. The jump from 430 million to 1.1 billion by 2031 is ambitious but achievable considering smartphone penetration. However, I'm concerned about the digital divide - if 5G becomes the default, what happens to the millions who still use feature phones or can't afford new devices? Need inclusive policies.
Ekdum sahi! My rural hometown got 5G last year and it's transformed things - farmers are using agri-tech apps, local shops are doing online payments smoothly, and kids can attend online classes without buffering. 70 GB average usage feels realistic when you see how much video content is consumed daily. Jai Digital India! 🚀
On one hand, this is fantastic for innovation and governance. On the other, I wish the government and telcos would prioritize security and data privacy as much as speed
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