If you recall, just a few days ago, TelecomTalk published an article discussing the data usage trends of Indian private telcos with the title: Airtel, Jio, and Vodafone Idea: Data Usage Trends and ARPU in Q3FY25. You can read more about it in the linked story.
Nokia, in its 12th edition of the India Mobile Broadband Index (MBiT) 2025 report, said that 120 million 5G subscribers are expected to be added annually. The report also highlights the role of “5G Advanced” in realising the full potential of 5G technology and provides insight into how 6G will shape the future of communications.
The average monthly mobile data consumption per user rose to 27.5 gigabytes (GB) in 2024, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.5 percent over the past five years. The average monthly data traffic per user per month as of December stood at 13.5GB in 2020, 17GB in 2021, 19.5GB in 2022, and 24.1GB in 2023.
According to the report, 4G’s contribution to overall traffic has declined from 85.2 percent in 2023 to 64.5 percent in 2024, while 5G’s contribution has increased from 14.8 percent to 35.5 percent during the same period. This indicates the growing traffic on 5G networks.
4G and 5G Data Usage Across Circles
India’s 5G and 4G data traffic grew significantly between December 2023 and December 2024, with total monthly data consumption rising from 17.4 Exabytes (EB) to 21.5 EB, marking a 23 percent year-over-year (Y-o-Y) increase. Among the different categories, Metro areas grew from 1.5 EB to 1.9 EB (around 24 percent growth), Category A increased from 6.1 EB to 7.5 EB (around 22 percent), Category B rose from 6.8 EB to 8.5 EB (around 24 percent), and Category C saw the highest growth, from 2.9 EB to 3.6 EB (around 25 percent).
5G Data Traffic Across Circles
5G data usage in metro cities accounted for 43 percent of total mobile broadband data in 2024, up from 20 percent in 2023, while 4G data growth declined as more subscribers migrated to fifth-generation wireless networks.
“Category B and C circles led the growth (in 2024), with 5G data consumption increasing by 3.4 times and 3.2 times, respectively. The expansion of 5G networks in these circles has been a key enabler of the growth,” Nokia said.
5G data usage in Category A, B and C circles accounted for 36 percent, 33 percent and 35 percent of total mobile broadband data, respectively, as of December 2024, up from 17 percent, 12 percent and 14 percent, as of December 2023.
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5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)
5G FWA, a key catalyst for data traffic growth, accounted for over 25 percent of overall 5G data traffic. According to the report, the continued rise of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is driving increased data usage, with FWA users now consuming over 12 times more data than the average mobile data user, driven by new services in both residential and business settings.
Pan-India Mobile Data Traffic
At a broader level, mobile data traffic grew by 23 percent year-on-year to 21.5 EB per month in 2024. Pan-India mobile data traffic has consistently grown year-on-year, with 9.6 EB in 2020, 12.6 EB in 2021, 14.4 EB in 2022, and 17.4 EB in 2023. According to the report, 5G (FWA and mobile data), backed by the growing 5G device ecosystem (shipments of the mass 5G budget segment grew 2 times Y-o-Y), is driving data usage while 4G data growth is declining.
Last year, 5G contributed 7.7 EB per month in data traffic versus 4G’s data traffic of 13.3 EB per month. However, the 5G data traffic is projected to surpass 4G data traffic by Q1 2026.
India 5G Highlights
Nokia in its report highlighted India’s 5G rollout as the world’s fastest, with 5G networks covering 99 percent of districts and 82 percent of the population, supported by 4.6 lakh base stations.
Also Read: 5G Services Available in 773 Out of 776 Districts in India: Govt
Handsets
Around 32 percent of Active 4G devices are 5G-capable.
In 2024, India had a base of 844 million active 4G-capable devices, of which 271 million were 5G capable, as per the report. “The share of 5G smartphone in overall smartphone shipments grew to 79 percent in 2024, compared to 55 percent in 2023,” the Finnish vendor said.
According to the report, the number of active 4G-capable devices stood at 607 million in 2020, 649 million in 2021, 730 million (of which 80 million were 5G-capable) in 2022, and 796 million (of which 134 million were 5G-capable) in 2023.
Supporting Bands
According to the report, there was an average 10 percent increase in device support across all major bands deployed in India. “Expanding 5G device ecosystem in existing CSP frequency bands to be a key driver for refarming,” Nokia said, adding that the N1 (2100 MHz) band has emerged as the second most popular 5G band.
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5G Advanced and the Path to 6G
5G Advanced
According to the report, 5G Advanced represents the next stage in the evolution of 5G, offering enhanced capabilities beyond basic connectivity and unlocking a wider range of advanced use cases for different industries. This integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) across various network layers, including the Radio Access Network (RAN), Core, and network management. These AI/ML enhancements aim to optimise network performance, improve efficiency, and reduce energy consumption.
One of the key improvements in 5G Advanced lies in Advanced RAN Capabilities, which include uplink coverage extension, MiMO (Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) enhancements for better signal strength, and improved mobility support for seamless connectivity.
Another major focus is on Sustainability and Efficiency, ensuring that networks operate with improved energy efficiency while utilising AI/ML for smarter network management and RAN.
Additionally, Intelligent and Autonomous Networks are a core component of 5G Advanced. Features include AI/ML-supported operations, intent-based management, and API-programmable RAN. Features such as XR (Extended Reality) awareness and accurate positioning enhance 5G’s capabilities in applications such as augmented and virtual reality, according to the report.
Also Read: 5G Is the Beginning of an Infinite Sky of Opportunities: Exploring the Use Cases
5G Advanced Deployment Timeline
According to Nokia, the deployment timeline for 5G Advanced follows a structured progression. In 2024, the foundation was laid with 5G Standalone (SA) networks, which will be crucial for enabling advanced functionalities.
In 2025, the first wave of 5G Advanced deployments will expand the technology’s potential beyond enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB). By 2026, new use cases will emerge, leveraging the full capabilities of 5G Advanced across industries like immersive media.
Finally, by 2028 and beyond, the industry will move towards 6G, continuing the transformation of wireless communication, Nokia presented in its report.
Also Read: 5G Yet to Create New Revenue Streams for Telecom Operators, Says Airtel Executive: Report
New Usage Areas
“5G Advanced will deliver superior service differentiation, enable new revenue streams and drive down operational costs by leveraging intelligent and autonomous operations,” Nokia said.
One of the key aspects of 5G Advanced is addressing new market segments, such as UAV traffic management, cameras, Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), and wearable sensors. Additionally, it will enhance the 5G experience by improving high-speed mobility, indoor and outdoor XR (extended reality), and VR applications.
Beyond traditional communication, 5G Advanced will support applications such as GNSS alternative solutions for positioning and resiliency, banking and point-of-sale (PoS) solutions, and asset tracking for improved logistics and transportation. To further optimise operational expenses, 5G Advanced will leverage AI/ML-driven dynamic traffic allocation, energy-efficient solutions, and network automation.
Nokia said the enhanced features and capabilities of 5G Advanced will serve as a foundation for the transition to 6G. Key stepping stones in this transition will also include distributed massive MIMO, AI-native network fabric, new spectrum and radio architectures, and the evolution of intent-based automation.
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6G: Vital to Shaping the Future of Communications
6G is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the future of communications by addressing current trends and challenges such as the increasing demand for higher network performance, the growing device ecosystem, the rising influence of AI, and network security concerns.
To tackle these challenges, 6G will incorporate an AI-driven, value-centric approach that focuses on key aspects like sensing, device diversity, new spectrum utilisation, computing and hardware evolution, extreme automation, and lean and green radio designs. These enhancements will result in a significant performance leap and cost efficiency while driving top-line revenue and business growth.
The design principles for 6G emphasize sustainability, resilience, security, and digital inclusiveness. The realisation of this vision will occur in stages, with an initial focus on Extreme MIMO, seamless migration and core evolution, programmable networks with API-native support, AI-native frameworks, and energy-efficient solutions. Additionally, Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) will support various user equipment types, ensuring a more comprehensive and efficient network infrastructure.
According to Nokia, 6G is set to build on the success of 5G while introducing more advanced and scalable solutions. Key applications of 6G will include NextG mobile broadband, fixed wireless access (FWA), immersive cloud gaming, extended reality (XR), IoT/LPWA native support, and globally integrated connectivity. These developments will enable new levels of efficiency, economy, scalability, and sustainability.
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Future Outlook
5G Advanced will provide major enhancements to widen the business potential of 5G and accelerate the monetisation investments. Moving beyond voice, video and data communications, Nokia said future applications in the 6G era will benefit from distributed compute services, intelligence and analytics capabilities, as well as sensing, spatial and temporal services for the localisation of people and objects.
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