From Zero To 394 million in Two Years: India's 5G Takeover Is Bigger Than Anyone Expected

India has quietly become one of the world's largest 5G markets, with nearly 394 million users by end-2025, a figure that will cross one billion by 2031. According to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report, India now leads the world in Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) connections and has achieved over 90% population coverage in just two years. And we’re not talking simply faster smartphones here. We’re describing a redefined access to broadband, one that drives enterprise digitisation, and positions India as a global 5G powerhouse. The next phase will determine whether this scale translates into sustainable revenue and innovation.

How large is India's 5G subscriber base?

According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, India is expected to have approximately 394 million 5G subscriptions by the end of 2025. Projections indicate this number will exceed one billion by 2031, representing nearly 80% penetration. This places India second only to China in absolute 5G scale globally.

What enabled such rapid 5G deployment?

India's rollout has been driven by aggressive private sector investment, rapid mid-band spectrum deployment, and comprehensive network modernisation. 

Reportedly, over 90% of India's population is now covered by mid-band 5G within two years of launch - a pace that matches the United States and China while surpassing most emerging markets.

Why is mid-band spectrum critical for India's 5G strategy?

Mid-band spectrum delivers the optimal balance between coverage range and network capacity. It enables high-speed data transmission, video streaming, cloud services, and enterprise applications at scale. India's extensive mid-band coverage has transformed 5G from a premium niche service into infrastructure supporting mass data consumption.

What makes Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) transformative for India?

According to the Ericsson report, India has emerged as the world's largest FWA market with over 12 million connections, led primarily by Reliance Jio. 

FWA allows operators to deliver broadband-quality internet without laying physical fibre infrastructure - particularly crucial in semi-urban and rural areas where traditional fibre deployment is slow and economically challenging. This has effectively turned 5G into a broadband substitute rather than merely a mobile upgrade.

How much data are Indians consuming on 5G networks?

India ranks among the world's highest data-consuming markets. Reportedly, average smartphone data usage is projected to increase from approximately 30 GB per month in 2025 to over 50 GB by 2030. This surge is driven primarily by video streaming, short-form content platforms, and aggressively priced data plans that make consumption affordable at scale.

Has the 5G narrative in India shifted beyond speed?

The focus is evolving significantly. While coverage and speed drove initial adoption, the emphasis is now shifting toward value creation. This includes enterprise connectivity solutions, guaranteed performance services, private networks, and industry-specific applications - capabilities that require 5G Standalone (SA) architecture rather than the current Non-Standalone deployments.

Why is 5G Standalone architecture crucial for India's next phase?

According to Ericsson, 5G SA is essential for unlocking advanced features like network slicing, ultra-low latency, and high reliability. These capabilities are fundamental for enterprise use cases including smart manufacturing, logistics optimization, healthcare applications, and public safety systems. Markets adopting SA architecture earlier are reportedly better positioned to monetise 5G beyond consumer data plans.

What does the enterprise opportunity look like for 5G in India?

India's enterprise digitisation push creates extensive opportunities for 5G deployment. Potential applications span smart manufacturing facilities, connected ports, energy grids, utility management, and government service delivery. Given India's massive scale, even limited enterprise adoption rates could generate substantial revenue streams for operators.

What are the primary challenges facing India's 5G expansion?

Sustainability concerns are emerging as a critical challenge. Rising energy consumption from expanding data centres and AI workloads poses environmental pressures. While India is reportedly increasing renewable energy use in telecom infrastructure, the Ericsson report cautions that efficiency improvements must keep pace with traffic growth to prevent higher carbon intensity.

How does India's 5G trajectory differ from other major markets?

Unlike mature markets where 5G represents a premium upgrade, India's deployment centers on mass adoption and broadband substitution. Affordable pricing structures, FWA-led growth, and integration with digital public infrastructure have positioned 5G as foundational infrastructure rather than a luxury offering. This fundamentally different approach creates unique opportunities and challenges.

What determines success in India's 5G future?

According to Ericsson's analysis, India has already achieved leadership in scale. The critical test now is whether operators can convert this massive subscriber base into sustainable revenue - particularly through enterprise services, standalone 5G deployments, and differentiated connectivity offerings. Success will require moving beyond reliance on rising data consumption alone and developing new revenue models around guaranteed performance, network slicing, and industry-specific solutions.

What role will network slicing play in monetisation?

Network slicing - enabled by 5G SA - allows operators to create virtual networks tailored to specific enterprise needs with guaranteed performance parameters. This capability is reportedly essential for applications requiring ultra-reliable low-latency communication, such as autonomous systems, remote surgery, or critical infrastructure management. It represents a shift from selling data capacity to selling assured performance.

What happens if operators fail to monetise beyond consumer data?

If operators remain dependent solely on consumer data revenue, they risk a profitability squeeze despite massive scale. The infrastructure investments required for maintaining and expanding 5G networks demand revenue diversification. Enterprise services, private networks, and differentiated connectivity offerings represent the pathway to sustainable returns on these investments.

India's 5G journey has transitioned from deployment to differentiation. The infrastructure is largely in place; the question now is whether the ecosystem can deliver the enterprise applications, standalone architecture, and innovative services needed to transform scale into value.