5G users in India are consuming 3.6 times more data than what they used on 4G networks, telecom network equipment maker Nokia says in its findings in the annual Indian market focused Mobile Broadband Index (MBiT). The rollout of India’s 5G network by carriers began in 2022 and is set to cover the entire country by the end of the month.
In 2023, users consumed 17.4 exabytes per month with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26% over the last five years. The rollout of 5G has emerged as a major catalyst for data usage growth, contributing to 15% of all data traffic in 2023, the report said.
The report highlights a paradigm shift in the Indian mobile data landscape driven by the growing adoption of 5G technology.
The 5G traffic has shown great growth across all telecom circles, with metro circles leading the charge and reaching a 20% share in the total mobile data traffic.
Improved 5G availability and efficiency, coupled with the availability of a wide range of affordable devices, as well as the introduction of new data-intensive applications and services, will accelerate future 5G growth. The average monthly data traffic per user also increased by 24% year-on-year in 2023, reaching 24.1 gigabytes per user per month.
The rise of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) will also serve as a key enabler for new services in both the home and business with FWA users expected to consume around 2.5 times more data than average 5G users.
The 5G device ecosystem in India is developing rapidly, with approximately 17% of active 4G devices, totaling 134 million out of 796 million, now 5G capable.
The Nokia MBiT 2024 report also emphasizes that the years leading up to 2030 will produce major changes in technology, leading to new opportunities and a digitized and programmable world. The main technology topics shaping the world in 2030 will include the Metaverse, AI/ML, Cloud and Web 3.0 among others.
Tarun Chhabra, Head of Mobile Networks Business at Nokia (India) said: “We are delighted to release the latest edition of the Nokia Mobile Broadband Index for 2024. What is immediately evident is the incredible proliferation of 5G technology across India and the growing demand at superfast 5G data speeds. Nokia looks forward to continuing to work hand-in-hand with our operator partners to help them meet customer demands.”
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Published: 20 Mar 2024, 14:12 IST