India’s 5G Boom: 840 Million Subscriptions by 2029, Says Ericsson Report – News9 LIVE

The latest Ericsson Mobility Report reveals explosive growth in 5G subscriptions, projecting 5.6 billion by 2029. India is expected to see a significant rise, with 840 million 5G users. The report highlights the transformative impact of 5G on telecom strategies worldwide.

Ericsson Mobility Report: 5G Growth, India’s 5G Boom, and Future of Telecom Strategies

Key Highlights

5G subscriptions are set to reach 5.6 billion globally by 2029, with India leading the charge.
Ericsson’s report shows a 25% year-on-year growth in mobile data traffic, driven by 5G adoption.
North America and India achieve rapid 5G mid-band coverage, leading the global deployment.

The latest Ericsson Mobility Report, published in June 2024, highlights the transformative role of 5G technology in the telecom sector. The report shows that 5G is not just another upgrade but a game-changer, influencing service providers’ strategies and offerings in unprecedented ways.

Key Findings from the Report

1. Growing 5G Subscriptions

5G subscriptions are forecasted to reach close to 5.6 billion by the end of 2029.
In the first quarter of 2024 alone, 160 million new 5G subscriptions were added globally, bringing the total to over 1.7 billion.

2. Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) Surge

Of the 310 CSPs (Communications Service Providers) surveyed, 241 offered FWA services by April 2024, with 128 of them providing 5G FWA offerings. This marks a 29% increase from the previous year.
40% of all FWA CSPs now offer speed-based tariff plans, driven by the capabilities of 5G in handling data and reducing latency.

Impact on Service Providers

Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks at Ericsson, noted, “The June 2024 Ericsson Mobility Report shows continued strong uptake of 5G subscriptions. Enhanced Mobile Broadband and Fixed Wireless Access are the leading use cases, with signs that 5G capabilities are influencing service providers’ Fixed Wireless Access offerings.”

Regional Growth and Predictions

Global Reach

By the end of 2029, 5G is expected to cover 80% of the global population outside mainland China, doubling from 40% at the end of 2023.
5G will account for about 60% of all mobile subscriptions globally by the end of 2029.

North America

Expected to have the highest 5G penetration by 2029, with 90% of subscriptions being 5G.

India

5G subscriptions in India are projected to grow from 119 million at the end of 2023 to about 840 million by the end of 2029.

Performance and User Experience

A leading service provider’s statistics revealed that 97% of user activities on 5G mid-band achieved a time-to-content of less than 1.5 seconds, compared to 67% on 5G low-band and 38% on 4G. Mid-band coverage outside of mainland China has reached 35%, with North America and India leading in rapid deployments.

Data Traffic Growth

The report also highlights a robust growth in mobile data traffic:

Mobile network data traffic grew 25% year-on-year from March 2023 to March 2024.

A compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 20% is expected through the end of 2029.
By the end of 2023, about a quarter of all mobile network data was handled by 5G, a figure projected to grow to 75% by the end of 2029.

Key Statistics from Ericsson Mobility Report

Metric	Figures
5G Subscriptions (end of 2029)	5.6 billion
5G Subscriptions Added (Q1 2024)	160 million
5G Coverage Growth (2023-2029)	40% to 80%
FWA CSPs Offering 5G FWA (April 2024)	128 out of 241
5G Data Traffic Share (end of 2029)	75%
5G Mid-band Coverage (North America)	85%
5G Mid-band Coverage (India)	90%
Mobile Data Traffic Growth (2023-2029)	20% CAGR
5G Penetration in North America (2029)	90%
5G Subscriptions in India (end of 2029)	840 million (65% of all subscriptions)

With growing subscriptions, improved data handling, and innovative service offerings, 5G is poised to dominate the mobile landscape in the coming years. As Fredrik Jejdling emphasized, the deployment of 5G Standalone technology is crucial to fully unlocking the potential of this next-generation network.