Global mobile network data traffic is growing faster than expected, driven by 5G adoption, video streaming, smartphone usage, and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), according to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report 2026.
Ericsson reported that global mobile network data traffic increased by 22 percent year-on-year between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026, significantly exceeding expectations. Growth was primarily driven by strong mobile data demand in India and North America.
Total monthly global mobile network data traffic reached 210 exabytes (EB) in Q1 2026. On a quarterly basis, traffic increased by around 5 percent between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026, according to the June edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report 2026.
Video continues to dominate mobile internet usage worldwide. At the end of 2025, video traffic accounted for approximately 75 percent of all mobile data traffic, making it the single largest contributor to network growth.
Ericsson said global mobile data traffic reached 146 EB per month by the end of 2025, while total mobile network data traffic, including Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), climbed to 203 EB per month.
Looking ahead, mobile data traffic is forecast to grow by a factor of 2.2, reaching 328 EB per month by 2031. Including FWA, total mobile network traffic is expected to increase by a factor of around 2.5, reaching 515 EB per month by 2031.
Network data traffic including FWA is projected to grow 14 percent year-on-year in 2031 and record a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17 percent across the forecast period. Ericsson noted that mobile data traffic generated by 6G subscriptions will account for only a small share of total traffic in 2031.
The report highlights significant regional differences in mobile data consumption.
India, Nepal, and Bhutan continue to lead the world in smartphone data usage. Average monthly mobile data traffic per active smartphone in the region reached 37 GB at the end of 2025 and is forecast to rise to 70 GB by 2031, representing an annual growth rate of 11 percent.
The global average mobile data consumption per active smartphone stood at 22 GB per month at the end of 2025 and is expected to increase to 42 GB by 2031, delivering a CAGR of 12 percent.
Regional mobile data consumption forecasts for 2031 include:
Western Europe: 25 GB in 2025 to 59 GB in 2031, CAGR of 15 percent
Middle East and North Africa: 21 GB to 47 GB, CAGR of 15 percent
North America: 25 GB to 52 GB, CAGR of 13 percent
Latin America: 15 GB to 32 GB, CAGR of 14 percent
South East Asia and Oceania: 23 GB to 50 GB, CAGR of 14 percent
North East Asia: 23 GB to 45 GB, CAGR of 12 percent
Central and Eastern Europe: 21 GB to 40 GB, CAGR of 12 percent
Sub-Saharan Africa: 5 GB to 12 GB, CAGR of 14 percent
Western Europe and the Middle East and North Africa are forecast to record the fastest growth in smartphone data consumption, each achieving a 15 percent CAGR through 2031 despite already high usage levels.
Ericsson emphasized that traffic growth is not evenly distributed across networks. In dense urban locations, mobile traffic demand can be as much as 1,000 times higher than in rural areas, creating significant challenges for network planning, spectrum utilization, and capacity expansion.
With 5G carrying an increasing share of mobile traffic, video consumption remaining dominant at 75 percent, and global network traffic projected to reach 515 EB per month by 2031, telecom operators will need continued investments in 5G, FWA, AI-driven network management, and future 6G technologies to support rising consumer and enterprise demand.
BABURAJAN KIZHAKEDATH
