India to have over half a billion 5G subscriptions by 2027, says Ericsson report
In the next five years, India is predicted to have over 500 million 5G subscribers, accounting for roughly 40 percent of all mobile subscriptions in the country. According to predictions made in the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report, improved mobile broadband is projected to be the first option for mobile users in India once commercial 5G networks are formally launched in the second half of 2022.
While 4G network now accounts for roughly 68 percent of all mobile subscribers in India, this figure is expected to drop to 55 percent by the end of 2027 as people migrate to 5G. Additionally, India is reported to have the world’s second-highest average data traffic per smartphone. This figure is expected to grow at a 16 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 20GB per month in 2021 to roughly 50GB per month by the end of 2027, as per the projections made by the Ericsson report.
Thiaw Seng Ng, the Head of Network Evolution, SEA, Oceania and India at Ericsson, noted, “Total mobile data traffic in the India region is estimated to grow by a factor of 4 between 2021 and 2027. This is driven by high growth in the number of smartphone users and an increase in average usage per smartphone.”
In India, the report claims, mobile broadband is expected to serve as the cornerstone for the government’s “Digital India” plan. As service providers prepare to introduce 5G this year, mobile networks in India will continue to play a critical role in fostering social and economic inclusiveness.
Also, important to note, the report argues that the figures for India are in line with figures globally, with the world being on the verge of witnessing an exponential increase in 5G adoption, with predictions that global 5G subscribers would easily surpass 1 billion by the end of 2022 and reach over 4.4 billion by 2027.
In terms of global penetration, the report suggests that the cellular network is expected to account for 82 percent of subscribers in Western Europe, 80 percent in the Gulf Cooperation Council area, and 74 percent in North-East Asia by 2027. North America alone is predicted to dominate the world in 5G subscriber penetration, with 9 out of 10 subscriptions in the region likely to be 5G by 2027.
The latest Ericsson Mobility Report also finds that worldwide mobile network data traffic has nearly doubled in the last two years. The report suggests that increased smartphone and mobile Internet usage, as well as the digitization of society and industry, all contributed to the increase in traffic. Despite the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and raging geopolitical uncertainties, current estimates show that data connection and digital services are in high demand and will continue to be that way.
In terms of the speed and scale of 5G adoption, the Ericsson report confirms that the cellular network is scaling faster than all previous generations of mobile technology. 5G coverage is reported to be available to around a quarter of the world’s population as of presently. According to the report’s forecasts, it is expected that about three-quarters of the global population will have access to 5G by the end of 2027.
India’s 5G spectrum auction will take place in July, followed by the launch of 5G services in August-September of this year. According to the Indian government, around 20 to 25 Indian cities will have 5G connectivity by the end of 2022.
