Average monthly data usage per Indian reaches 27.5 GB, 5G traffic surges 3-fold

New Delhi: The average monthly data consumption per user in India has risen to 27.5 gigabytes in 2024, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.5 per cent over the past five years, a new report showed on Thursday.

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.

The monthly 5G data traffic across the country surged threefold and is set to surpass 4G by the first quarter of 2026, according to the annual Mobile Broadband Index (MBiT) by Nokia.

“We look forward to continuing this journey with our long-standing operator partners to meet the ever-growing demand for connectivity,” said Tarun Chhabra, Senior Vice President and Country Head of Nokia India.

According to the report, Category B and C circles led the growth, 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 this growth. In metro circles, 5G data usage now accounts for 43 per cent of total mobile broadband data, up from 20 per cent in 2023, while 4G data growth is declining.

The 5G device ecosystem in India continues to evolve rapidly, with the number of active 5G devices doubling year-on-year to reach 271 million in 2024.

This trend is expected to accelerate, with nearly 90 per cent of smartphones to be replaced in 2025 are expected to be 5G-capable, the report noted.

Furthermore, the evolution toward 5G Advanced is expected to further enhance business potential, enabling service differentiation, new revenue streams, and cost reductions through intelligent operations.

The capabilities of 5G Advanced will serve as a foundation for the transition to 6G, unlocking future applications such as distributed computing services, AI-driven intelligence, and spatial and temporal sensing for enhanced connectivity and localisation.

–IANS