Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) continues to grow in appeal to communications service providers (CSPs) around the world, with the ability to offer speed-based tariff plans - enhanced by 5G capabilities - proving particularly attractive, according to the June 2025 Ericsson Mobility Report (EMR). 5G adoption in India is growing rapidly, driven by rising data demand, 5G population coverage exceeding 90 percent, and large-scale 5G FWA deployments, the report said.
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India's 5G Adoption Accelerates
According to the Swedish telecom equipment vendor, the strong need for accessible broadband in rural and semi-urban areas is driving Indian service providers to expand their 5G FWA footprints. The availability of affordable 5G FWA customer premises equipment (CPE) is also driving growth of 5G FWA, which will help bridge the digital divide.
In its June report released on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, Ericsson highlighted that, as of the end of 2024, India had 290 million 5G subscriptions—accounting for 24 percent of total mobile subscriptions. This number is expected to grow to 980 million by 2030, covering 75 percent of all mobile users. India currently leads the world in data usage per smartphone, with an average of 32 GB per month. This figure is projected to rise to 62 GB per month by 2030.
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India Achieves 95 Percent Mid-Band 5G Coverage
Additionally, Ericsson noted that 5G mid-band networks covered 95 percent of India's population as of the end of 2024. "This growth is being driven by rising data demand, widespread mid-band spectrum availability, increasing 5G smartphone adoption, and expanding 5G FWA rollouts," the company said on June 24, 2025.
While 4G remains the dominant subscription type—accounting for around 53 percent of total mobile subscriptions at the end of 2024—it is forecast to decline from 620 million in 2024 to 230 million by 2030, as users transition to 5G.
Ericsson emphasises that India continues to see rapid 5G adoption, underpinned by strong population coverage, increasing data consumption, and accelerating Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) deployments.
Nitin Bansal, Managing Director, Ericsson India, says: "At Ericsson, we are proud to support the country's digitalisation based on the strong 4G and 5G infrastructure that we have set up in the country together with our partners, the communication service providers that is enabling connectivity and driving inclusive growth in the country."
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Global FWA Market Grows
Globally, around 80 percent of CSPs surveyed by Ericsson currently offer FWA services. The fastest-growing segment is CSPs providing 5G-enabled speed-based tariff plans. With 5G FWA, Ericsson notes that service providers can offer a variety of subscriber packages featuring different data speeds and entertainment options—similar to cable or fiber offerings—thereby increasing monetisation opportunities compared to earlier FWA generations.
The June 2025 EMR reveals that over half (51 percent) of global CSPs offering FWA now include speed-based options—up from 40 percent in June 2024. This increase is driven by strong adoption in North America and growing uptake in Europe and the Middle East. FWA is projected to account for more than 35 percent of new fixed broadband connections, with the number of connections expected to reach 350 million by the end of 2030.
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Over 6 Billion 5G Subscriptions by 2030
Ericsson says 5G FWA plays a crucial role in expanding broadband access, especially in areas where traditional wired infrastructure may be less feasible. Globally, 5G subscriptions are forecast to reach 2.9 billion by the end of 2025—approximately one-third of all mobile subscriptions. That figure is projected to rise to 6.3 billion by the end of 2030.
Mobile network data traffic increased by 19 percent from Q1 2024 to the same period in 2025. Despite a declining growth rate, total traffic volume will continue to rise year-over-year. The EMR forecasts that mobile data traffic will more than double by the end of 2030.
By the end of 2024, 5G networks carried 35 percent of global mobile traffic—a figure expected to exceed 80 percent by 2030.
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Europe Lags Behind North America and India
In Europe, 5G mid-band coverage topped 50 percent population coverage by the end of 2024. While the figure puts the region in line with the global average, it lags far behind countries such as North America where 5G mid-band deployment has topped 90 percent population coverage, and India where 5G mid-band population coverage reached 95 percent by the end of 2024, Ericsson said.
The June 2025 EMR also highlights the ability of 5G Standalone (5G SA) and 5G Advanced to create monetisation opportunities for CSPs globally based on value delivery rather than data volume.
Erik Ekudden, Ericsson Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, said: "We are at an inflection point, where 5G and the ecosystem are set to unleash a wave of innovation. The recent advancements in 5G standalone (SA) networks, coupled with the progress in 5G-enabled devices, have led to an ecosystem poised to unlock transformative opportunities for connected creativity."
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He added: "Service providers have recognized this potential of 5G and are beginning to monetize it through innovative service offerings that extend beyond merely selling data plans. To fully realize the potential of 5G, it is essential to continue deploying 5G SA and to further build out mid-band sites. 5G SA capabilities serve as a catalyst for driving new business growth opportunities."
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