India to see a strong growth in 5G: Ericsson

Ericsson estimates that almost one-in-five of all global mobile subscriptions will be 5G subscriptions by the end of 2023, as the growth proves resilient despite continued economic challenges and geopolitical unrest in some markets.

India is expected to see strong growth in 5G adoption in the coming years. 5G devices are becoming more affordable, making them accessible to a wider range of consumers. As consumers are increasingly demanding high-speed data to support activities such as streaming video, gaming, and online shopping. 5G can provide speeds of up to 20 gigabits per second (Gbps), which is much faster than 4G LTE.

India is seeing substantial 5G network deployments following the launch of 5G services in October 2022. 5G subscriptions are expected to reach 130 million in 2023 and is projected to have 500 million 5G subscribers by the end of 2027. 5G subscriptions are estimated to account for 68 percent of mobile subscriptions in the region by the end of 2029.

4G continues to be the dominant subscription type driving connectivity and fueling data growth in the region. However, as subscribers migrate to 5G, 4G subscriptions are forecast to decline from 870 million in 2023 to 390 million by 2029. Total mobile subscriptions in the region are estimated to grow to 1.27 billion in 2029.

Experts said, Ericsson together with their partners has enabled one of the fastest 5G network deployments across the world and today we are seeing strong 5G adoption in the country. Mobile networks continue to play a pivotal role in driving social and economic inclusion in India, thereby supporting the government’s vision to transform the country into a digitally empowered society.

Smartphone subscriptions in India as a percentage of total mobile subscriptions are expected to grow from 82 percent in 2023 to 93 percent in 2029. The report also explores wireless connectivity for the manufacturing industry,

Moving forward, 5G is becoming a key determinant of production output and it enables the agility required to support rapid changes and reallocation of resources.