According to the Ericsson Mobility Report for June 2023, the worldwide communications service provider (CSP) landscape continues to witness robust investments in 5G technology. Notably, India has emerged as the fastest-growing market for 5G, with massive network deployments taking place under the country’s ambitious Digital India initiative.
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India’s 5G Subscription Milestone
The report highlights that 5G subscriptions in India crossed the 10 million mark by the end of 2022, with estimates projecting that they will account for an impressive 57 percent of the country’s mobile subscriptions by the end of 2028.
To recollect, Airtel has announced crossing the 10 million unique 5G users mark on its 5G Network in February 2023. Airtel was the first service provider to roll out 5G services in the country in October 2022.
Surpassing expectations, North America boasts the highest global subscription penetration rate for 5G, standing at 41 percent by the end of last year. The region’s rapid adoption of 5G demonstrates its enthusiasm for embracing the latest technological advancements.
Surge in Global 5G Subscriptions
According to Ericsson, the global 5G market is experiencing a significant surge, with subscriptions forecasted to reach 1.5 billion by the end of 2023. Moreover, mobile network data traffic continues to soar, with an anticipated monthly global average usage per smartphone set to exceed 20GB by the close of this year.
Commercial 5G Services Worldwide
Currently, around 240 CSPs have introduced commercial 5G services worldwide, and approximately 35 have deployed or launched 5G standalone (SA) networks. Notably, enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), gaming, and AR/VR-based services have emerged as the most common 5G offerings for consumers.
Service providers are also increasingly bundling popular entertainment services like television, music streaming, and cloud gaming platforms, with 58 percent of 5G providers offering such bundles in various forms.
Moreover, Ericsson, in its report, said over 100 CSPs, accounting for roughly 40 percent of FWA service providers, currently offer FWA over 5G. Fixed Wireless Access is witnessing steady growth in terms of the number of providers offering the service, the proportion of those offering it over 5G, the proportion of CSPs employing speed-based tariff structures, and the amount of traffic served. By 2028, it is projected that 5G will encompass almost 80 percent of all FWA connections.
India’s Growth Story: 5G Projections
Looking specifically at India, the report outlines a compelling growth narrative for the country. With 5G subscriptions estimated to reach a staggering 700 million by the end of 2028, they are projected to account for 57 percent of all mobile subscriptions.
Average Data Traffic per Smartphone
Average data traffic per smartphone is expected to grow from 26GB per month in 2022 to approximately 62GB per month in 2028, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16 percent. According to Ericsson, overall mobile data traffic is set to soar from 18 exabytes per month in 2022 to 58 exabytes per month in 2028, at an impressive CAGR of 22 percent.
4G Subscriptions
Although 4G subscriptions will decline from 820 million in 2022 to 500 million by 2028, 4G will remain the dominant subscription type driving connectivity and fueling data growth in the region. Consequently, the total number of mobile subscriptions in India is expected to reach 1.2 billion by 2028.
The report also anticipates steady growth in smartphone subscriptions in India, with projections indicating an increase from 840 million at the end of 2022 to over 1.14 billion by 2028. As a percentage of total mobile subscriptions, smartphone subscriptions are predicted to rise from 76 percent in 2022 to an impressive 93 percent in 2028.
The Ericsson Mobility Report unveils the remarkable progress and potential of 5G technology as it underscores the transformative impact of this technology on the telecommunications industry, particularly in India, as the country surges ahead in adopting and leveraging the power of 5G networks.
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