India is set to become one of the world’s largest 5G markets, with more than 1.1 billion 5G subscriptions expected by the end of 2031, representing 81 percent mobile subscription penetration, according to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report June 2026.
The report highlights the rapid expansion of 5G services across India, driven by affordable 5G smartphones, extensive network coverage reaching almost all districts, and the growing adoption of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services for homes and businesses.
India’s 5G subscriber base reached 430 million at the end of 2025, accounting for 35 percent of total mobile subscriptions. While 4G remained the leading mobile technology with a 46 percent share, Ericsson forecasts that 4G subscriptions will decline sharply from around 570 million in 2025 to nearly 160 million by 2031 as users migrate to 5G networks.
India also continues to lead the world in mobile data consumption. Average monthly mobile data usage per smartphone reached 37 GB at the end of 2025 and is expected to nearly double to 70 GB by 2031, the highest level among all global regions.
Nitin Bansal, Managing Director of Ericsson India, said India’s growing adoption of enhanced mobile broadband and 5G FWA is transforming customer experiences while strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure. He noted that India’s secure and robust 5G ecosystem is supporting inclusion, governance, and innovation initiatives under the Digital India program.
A significant milestone for the Indian telecom industry was the recent launch of differentiated connectivity services based on network slicing for postpaid 5G customers by a leading operator. The development signals the emergence of advanced 5G Standalone use cases and premium connectivity services in the Indian market.
Global 5G Market Crosses 3 Billion Subscribers
Globally, 5G subscriptions crossed the 3 billion milestone during the first quarter of 2026. Ericsson reported that operators added 162 million new 5G subscriptions during the quarter, taking the worldwide total to 3.1 billion.
The company forecasts global 5G subscriptions will more than double to 6.4 billion by the end of 2031.
Around 390 telecom operators have launched commercial 5G services worldwide, while more than 90 service providers have already deployed 5G Standalone (SA) networks.
5G networks carried 48 percent of all mobile data traffic globally at the end of 2025. This share is expected to rise dramatically to 85 percent by 2031. Western Europe, North America, North East Asia, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are forecast to achieve 5G adoption levels close to or exceeding 90 percent by the end of the forecast period.
5G Network Slicing and Differentiated Connectivity Gain Momentum
The commercialization of 5G Standalone network slicing services continues to accelerate. Ericsson reported that the number of differentiated connectivity offerings increased from 65 in the November 2025 Mobility Report to 84 commercial offerings in June 2026.
These services enable operators to provide guaranteed quality of service by allocating dedicated network slices for specific applications and customer segments, moving the technology from early adoption toward mainstream deployment.
Ericsson CTO Erik Ekudden said the emergence of physical AI will fundamentally transform network traffic patterns as intelligence shifts from centralized data centers to autonomous AI agents embedded across devices, vehicles, factories, and cities connected through 5G infrastructure.
5G FWA Adoption Accelerates Worldwide
Fixed Wireless Access continues to emerge as a major monetization opportunity for telecom operators.
The share of FWA providers offering services over 5G networks increased to 71 percent in 2026, compared with 57 percent a year earlier, marking the largest annual increase in four years.
Speed-based pricing models are also becoming more popular. Around 57 percent of FWA providers now offer speed-based tariff plans, up from 51 percent in June 2025.
New 5G FWA services have recently launched in Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Morocco, Taiwan, Türkiye, and Vietnam. Adoption remains strongest in North America, Nordic countries, GCC markets, and parts of Asia.
AI Drives Uplink Traffic Growth
The report highlights a major shift in network traffic patterns as uplink traffic begins growing faster than downlink traffic for many operators.
According to Ericsson’s network measurements, 43 out of 55 operators recorded higher uplink growth rates than downlink growth. Additionally, 17 out of 55 operators experienced uplink growth that was more than 1.5 times higher than downlink growth.
The trend is being driven by cloud storage, collaboration platforms, video communication applications, and user-generated content. Ericsson estimates that AI-driven applications could push uplink traffic volumes to three times or more their 2025 levels by 2031.
Mobile Data Traffic Rises 22 Percent
Global network data traffic, including both mobile broadband and FWA services, increased 22 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Ericsson said the growth exceeded expectations and was driven primarily by strong demand in India and North America.
6G Development Moves Toward Commercial Launch
The report also highlights growing industry focus on 6G development. Standardization activities are already underway, with AI-native 6G expected to support integrated sensing and communication (ISAC), seamless terrestrial and satellite network integration, and significantly improved energy efficiency.
The first implementable 6G specifications are expected to be finalized by the end of 2028 or early 2029, with the first commercial 6G services anticipated around 2030. Early adopters are expected to include the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, and GCC countries, mirroring the early rollout pattern seen with 5G deployments.