Says Ericsson, surging data use and rapid adoption put India on track for over one billion 5G subscriptions by 2031, cementing its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing 5G markets.
India is set to record more than one billion 5G subscriptions by the end of 2031, reaching a penetration rate of 79 per cent, according to the November 2025 edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report (EMR).
The report highlights India as one of the strongest 5G growth markets globally, driven by rapid adoption, surging data usage and increasing reliance on enhanced mobile broadband.
Ericsson forecasts that India will end 2025 with 394 million 5G subscriptions. This will account for 32 per cent of all mobile connections in the country. The report notes that India’s mobile data traffic per active smartphone is already the highest in the world at 36GB per month. It is expected to rise to 65GB per month by 2031, fuelled partly by rising fixed wireless access (FWA) usage and affordable 5G customer premises equipment.
Globally, the report projects 6.4 billion 5G subscriptions by 2031, making up two-thirds of all mobile subscriptions. Enhanced mobile broadband is expected to remain the leading use case. About 4.1 billion subscriptions, or 65 per cent, will be based on 5G standalone (SA) networks.
By the end of 2025, global 5G subscriptions are expected to reach 2.9 billion, up 600 million from the previous year. Around 400 million more people gained access to 5G in 2025 alone. Half the world’s population outside mainland China is likely to be covered by 5G by year-end.
Mobile network data traffic grew 20 per cent year-on-year in the third quarter of 2025, driven largely by China and India. Traffic is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 16 per cent through 2031. Ericsson expects 5G networks to handle 43 per cent of global mobile data by the end of 2025, rising to 83 per cent by 2031.
FWA continues to expand as a key 5G application. The EMR estimates 1.4 billion people will access FWA broadband by 2031, with 90 per cent of these connections delivered via 5G.
The report found that 159 service providers worldwide now offer 5G-based FWA services, representing 65 per cent of all FWA operators. More providers are shifting to speed-based tariffs, with adoption rising from 43 per cent to 54 per cent since 2024.
5G standalone deployments also accelerated in 2025. More than 90 operators have launched or soft-launched SA networks, up from 60 a year earlier. The report identified 118 instances across 56 operators where network slicing is being used to deliver differentiated connectivity, with 65 offerings already commercial.
Looking ahead, Ericsson forecasts that early 6G launches will begin in leading markets, including India, between 2025 and 2031. Global 6G subscriptions could reach 180 million by 2031, with faster uptake possible if deployments begin earlier than expected.
