India’s mobile services market is set for steady expansion through 2030, fueled by rapid 5G rollout, rising data consumption, and evolving monetization strategies. According to GlobalData, telecom operators are shifting their revenue focus from declining voice services to high-value data offerings, supported by premium 5G plans and bundled digital services.
GlobalData’s India Mobile Broadband Forecast (Q4-2025) estimates that total mobile services revenue will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.6 percent, increasing from $33.3 billion in 2025 to $43.7 billion by 2030. This growth will be primarily driven by mobile data services, as operators capitalize on higher data usage and improved network capabilities.
Voice revenues are expected to decline at a CAGR of 2.4 percent during the forecast period. The drop is attributed to falling average revenue per user levels, widespread availability of bundled free voice minutes, and the growing shift toward OTT-based communication platforms.
In contrast, mobile data service revenue in India is projected to expand at a robust CAGR of 8.9 percent between 2025 and 2030, supported by increasing smartphone penetration and higher adoption of 5G services with premium pricing tiers.
The surge in mobile data consumption remains a central growth driver. Average monthly data usage per user is forecast to more than double from 25.7 GB in 2025 to 58.9 GB in 2030. This sharp rise reflects increased consumption of high-bandwidth applications such as video streaming, gaming, and social media, enabled by widespread 4G coverage and expanding 5G networks.
While 4G continued to dominate in terms of subscriptions in 2025, its share is expected to decline steadily as users migrate to faster 5G networks. 5G subscriptions are projected to surpass 4G by 2027 and maintain dominance through 2030, supported by aggressive infrastructure investments and nationwide rollout strategies by leading telecom operators.
According to Nokia’s Mobile Broadband Index, 5G data traffic jumped 70 percent to reach 12.9 exabytes per month in 2025, accounting for nearly 47 percent of total mobile broadband traffic in India.
Investment in 5G networks, combined with increasing demand for high-bandwidth applications such as AI-driven services, 4K video streaming, and cloud gaming, has significantly boosted data consumption. Monthly mobile data usage per user exceeded 31 GB in 2025, reflecting sustained growth in enhanced mobile broadband adoption.
Metro cities continue to lead 5G adoption, where the technology now contributes 58 percent of total mobile data traffic. At the same time, adoption is accelerating across non-metro circles, indicating deeper penetration of 5G connectivity nationwide.
India’s device ecosystem is also rapidly aligning with 5G growth. Of the 892 million active 4G devices in 2025, more than 383 million are already 5G-capable. Additionally, over 90 percent of smartphones shipped during the year supported 5G, strengthening the foundation for future expansion.
Among operators, Reliance Jio leads the market in mobile subscriptions and is expected to retain its top position through 2030, driven by its rapid 5G deployment and a user base exceeding 200 million 5G subscribers, GlobalData said.
Bharti Airtel follows as the second-largest provider, having significantly expanded its 5G footprint with the addition of around 25,000 sites in 2025 and building a 5G user base of over 135 million.
Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea has intensified its 5G rollout efforts after entering the segment in March 2025, aiming to strengthen its competitive position in a market dominated by early movers.
Looking ahead, India’s telecom sector will continue balancing affordability with revenue growth as it scales 5G adoption. Operators are expected to focus on expanding network coverage, enhancing capacity, and implementing tiered pricing strategies to better monetize rising data traffic. At the same time, partnerships across digital services, content platforms, and ecosystem players will become increasingly important in driving user engagement and long-term value creation in a highly competitive landscape.
SHAFANA FAZAL
