India is projected to surpass one billion 5G subscriptions by the end of 2031, according to the November 2025 Ericsson Mobility Report, reflecting rapid adoption in a market with the highest mobile data traffic per smartphone globally.
Key Findings for India
- 5G subscriptions at end-2025: 394 million, accounting for 32% of total mobile subscriptions.
- Monthly mobile data usage per smartphone: Expected to rise from 36 GB to 65 GB by 2031.
- Traffic growth: Mobile network data traffic increased 20% between Q3 2024 and Q3 2025, driven by India and mainland China. Annual average traffic growth is projected at 16% through 2031.
Ericsson India Managing Director Nitin Bansal highlighted that 5G is already serving as critical infrastructure for digitalisation, with affordable 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) equipment and rising data consumption contributing to increased traffic.
Global 5G and 6G Projections
- Global 5G subscriptions by 2031: 6.4 billion, representing two-thirds of all mobile subscriptions.
- 5G standalone connections: 4.1 billion expected to use a dedicated 5G core.
- 5G share of mobile data traffic: 43% by end-2025, rising to 83% by 2031.
- FWA broadband: Around 1.4 billion people globally expected to access FWA by 2031, with 90% relying on 5G.
- Network slicing adoption: Growing in markets such as the US, Japan, South Korea, China, India, and select Gulf countries.
- Global 6G subscriptions: Forecasted at 180 million by 2031, with potential for higher uptake if commercial launches accelerate.
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