India’s 5G Subscriptions To Cross 1.1 Billion By 2031, Mobile Data Usage To Nearly Double

India’s 5G rollout is picking up serious pace. The latest Ericsson Mobility Report projects that 5G subscribers in the country will nearly triple, crossing 110 crore by 2031, a figure that would account for 81% of all mobile connections. At the end of 2025, India already has 43 crore 5G users. The report attributes this growth to affordably priced 5G smartphones, network coverage expanding to nearly every district, and the growing rollout of 5G fixed wireless access services. As 5G expands, 4G’s dominance is set to shrink steadily. Ericsson estimates that 4G users, currently at 57 crore, will fall to just 16 crore by 2031.

Data Usage Set to Nearly Double
India is also expected to stay at the top globally when it comes to mobile data consumption. The average smartphone user currently consumes 37 GB of data a month, a figure the report projects will climb to 70 GB by 2031.

What Industry Leaders Are Saying
Ericsson India Managing Director Nitin Bansal said 5G expansion is rapidly transforming the country’s digital ecosystem. Ericsson Chief Technology Officer Erik Ekudden added that with the growth of AI-driven services, mobile networks are evolving beyond simple connectivity tools into key infrastructure for economic activity, digital services, and innovation.