5G subscriptions touched 430 million at the end of 2025, accounting for 35% of the total mobile subscriptions | Photo Credit: KAI PFAFFENBACH

India’s 5G subscriptions are expected to reach more than 1.1 billion by the end of 2031, reaching 81 per cent subscription penetration, as 5G adoption in the country continues to grow rapidly, Ericsson Mobility Report (EMR) said on Tuesday.

The growth is driven by the availability of affordable 5G-enabled smartphones and devices, expanded network coverage across almost all districts, and the increasing roll-out of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services, the report highlighted.

The report said that 5G subscriptions reached 430 million at the end of 2025, accounting for 35 per cent of the total mobile subscriptions. While 4G remains the dominant technology at 46 per cent, subscriptions are forecast to decline from around 570 million in 2025 to nearly 160 million by 2031, as users migrate to 5G, it said.

The country continues to lead globally in mobile data consumption per smartphone, with the 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,” Nitin Bansal, Managing Director, Ericsson India, said.

In a significant development, a service provider (Bharti Airtel) in India recently launched differentiated connectivity services based on network slicing for its post-paid 5G customers, signalling the evolution of advanced 5G use cases in the market, he said.

The June 2026 report covered the same period (2025-2031) as the November 2025 edition, with updated statistics and forecasts, the company added.

Published on June 16, 2026