NEW DELHI: India will see a generational shift in mobile broadband with 5G traffic set to overtake 4G usage in the first quarter of next year, led by the rapid expansion of the high-speed networks across the country and the fast-growing device ecosystem.
According to the annual Mobile Broadband Index (MBiT) report by Nokia, while average monthly mobile data consumption per user in the country was 27.5 GB last year, against 24.1 GB in 2023, the same was as high as 40 GB for those using 5G. “Based on the current trends, the overall 5G data traffic will surpass 4G data traffic by the first quarter of 2026,” Tarun Chhabra, Country Head of Nokia in India, said.
A big reason behind the shift is the growing proliferation of 5G devices. “The 5G device ecosystem continues to evolve rapidly, with the number of active 5G devices doubling year-on-year to reach 271 million in 2024. This trend is expected to accelerate, with nearly 90% of smartphones to be replaced in 2025 expected to be 5G-capable,” the report says.
Smartphone companies across brands such as Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi, and RealMe have been primarily launching 5G devices in the country as consumption of videos, social media, streaming, and gaming has taken precedence in terms of device usage.
According to the MBiT report, Category B and C non-metro telecom circles have led the growth in data consumption, with 5G increasing by 3.4 times and 3.2 times, respectively. “The expansion of 5G networks in these circles has been a key enabler of this growth. In metro circles, 5G data usage now accounts for 43% of total mobile broadband data, up from 20% in 2023, while 4G data growth is declining.”
Overall, data consumption in India has seen a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.5% over the past five years. “The continued rise of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is driving increased data usage, with FWA users now consuming over 12 times more data than the average mobile data user, driven by new services in both residential and business settings.”
India has seen one the fastest expansion of 5G deployment across the world, with 82% of the population getting the services that have reached 99% of the districts.
| Year | 4G Devices (mln) | 5G Devices (mln) | 4G Data Users (mln) | 5G Data Users (mln) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 607 | Nil | 598 | Nil |
| 2021 | 649 | Nil | 702 | Nil |
| 2022 | 650 | 80 | 787 | 12 |
| 2023 | 662 | 134 | 724 | 131 |
| 2024 | 573 | 271 | 613 | 290 |
Source: Nokia MBiT
