India may cross 1.1 billion 5G subscriptions by 2031: Ericsson
India is expected to surpass 1.1 billion 5G subscriptions by 2031, achieving 81 per cent penetration, according to Ericsson. Affordable devices, wider network coverage and growing FWA services are driving adoption, while 4G subscriptions are projected to decline sharply
New Delhi: 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.