India is fast becoming a big 5G market. According to the 25th edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report, the number of 5G subscribers in India is expected to reach 130 million this year and rise to 860 million by 2029.
Additionally, globally, the report estimates that by the end of 2023, nearly one-fifth of global mobile phone subscriptions will be 5G subscriptions. 5G growth has proven resilient despite continued economic challenges and geopolitical uncertainty in some markets. According to a report released on November 30, the number of 5G subscribers worldwide is expected to exceed 5.3 billion by the end of 2029.
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The Ericsson Mobility Report has been the industry’s leading reference source for network data, performance, statistics and forecasts since its launch in 2011.
The latest edition of the report shows that there will be 610 million new 5G subscriptions worldwide in calendar year 2023, an increase of 63 percent from 2022, bringing the global total to 1.6 billion, higher than previously predicted. It is estimated that there are about 100 million more cases.
Regionally, 5G subscriber penetration in North America remains strong. By the end of 2023, the region will have the highest 5G subscription rate in the world at 61 percent, according to the report.
India also saw steady growth in 5G subscribers throughout 2023. By the end of 2023, almost 14 months after its commercial launch, 5G penetration in India is expected to exceed 11%. According to the report, 4G continues to be the leading subscription type driving connectivity and data growth in India. However, as subscribers migrate to 5G, the number of 4G subscribers is predicted to decline from 870 million in 2023 to 390 million by 2029. The total number of mobile subscribers in this region is estimated to increase to 1.27 billion in 2029.
Over the six years from the end of 2023 to 2029, the number of 5G subscribers worldwide is expected to grow by more than 330%, from 1.6 billion to 5.3 billion. 5G coverage is expected to reach more than 45 percent of the world’s population by the end of 2023 and more than 85 percent by the end of 2029, the report added. North America and the Gulf Cooperation Council expects the region’s 5G penetration rate to be the highest at 92% by the end of 2029. Western Europe is expected to follow suit with 85% penetration.
Enhanced mobile broadband, fixed wireless access, gaming and augmented reality, and virtual reality-based services are the most common early consumer use cases for 5G.
Globally, average monthly mobile data usage per smartphone is expected to reach 56 GB, up from 21 GB by the end of 2023.
A similar trend is predicted in India. Average data traffic per smartphone in the country is expected to increase from 31 GB per month in 2023 to approximately 75 GB per month in 2029. Meanwhile, the share of smartphone subscriptions to total mobile subscriptions in India is expected to increase from 82% to 93% in 2023. % in 2029.
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