New Delhi: Nokia unveiled the findings of its annual Mobile Broadband Index (MBiT) report focused on the Indian market. The report sheds light on the surge in 5G data consumption, revealing that 5G users are consuming approximately 3.6 times more mobile data traffic compared to 4G users since the launch of 5G in October 2022.
According to Nokia Mobile Broadband Index (NMBI), in 2023, the mobile data traffic in India reached a staggering 17.4 exabytes per month, with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26 percent over the past five years.
The advent of 5G has emerged as a significant catalyst for this growth, contributing to 15 percent of all data traffic in 2023.
The report underscores a paradigm shift in the Indian mobile data landscape propelled by the widespread adoption of 5G technology.
5G traffic has witnessed substantial growth across all telecom circles, with metro circles leading the charge and accounting for a 20 percent share in overall mobile data traffic.
This surge in 5G usage is attributed to enhanced availability and performance, affordable device options, and the introduction of new data-intensive applications and services.
Furthermore, the average monthly data traffic per user surged by 24 percent year-on-year in 2023, reaching 24.1 gigabytes per user per month.
The rise of 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is poised to usher in new services for both residential and business sectors, with FWA users expected to consume an estimated 2.5 times more data than average 5G users.
In terms of device readiness, the 5G device ecosystem in India is rapidly evolving, with approximately 17 percent of active 4G devices, totaling 134 million out of 796 million, now equipped with 5G capabilities.
Tarun Chhabra, Head of Mobile Networks Business at Nokia (India), emphasized the remarkable proliferation of 5G technology across India and the increasing demand for super-fast 5G data speeds.
Chhabra said, “What is immediately obvious is the incredible proliferation of 5G technology across India and the increasing demand for super-fast 5G data speeds. Nokia looks forward to continuing to work hand-in-hand with our operator partners to help them meet customer demand.”
Looking ahead, the Nokia MBiT 2024 report forecasts major technological shifts leading up to 2030, including the emergence of the Metaverse, advancements in AI/ML, Cloud computing, and Web 3.0 among others.
