The 5G subscriptions in India is projected to reach over 270 million by the end of 2024, accounting for 23 per cent of the total mobile subscriptions in the region, which is expected to reach around 970 million by the end of 2030, accounting for 74 per cent of total mobile subscriptions in India.
According to telecom gear maker Ericsson’s Mobility Report, which extends the forecast period until the end of 2030, 5G Standalone (5G SA) and 5G Advanced are expected to be key focuses for communications service providers (CSPs) for the remainder of the decade as they deploy new capabilities to create offerings centered on value delivery rather than data volume.
The report also said that based on the strong 5G uptake, 4G subscriptions are forecast to decline from 640 million in 2024 to 240 million in 2030, contributing around 18 per cent of the total mobile subscriptions. India has made large-scale mid-band deployments and is expected to reach around 95 per cent population coverage by the end of 2024, it said.
It further added that the first 6G deployments are expected in 2030, building on and scaling the capabilities of 5G SA and 5G Advanced.
Meanwhile, in another ConsumerLab report, the company said 67 per cent of 5G smartphone users in India are expected to use Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) apps weekly within the next five years, and they are also willing to pay more for such services.
It said GenAI applications are emerging as a key area driving expectations on 5G performance and in turn interest in differentiated connectivity - guaranteed uninterrupted responsive connectivity when you need it most - among 5G smartphone users in India.
The report also highlighted that AI features are becoming a top priority for Indian smartphone buyers, outranking traditional factors like camera quality, screen size and storage capacity.
With the number of smartphone owners who use GenAI apps expected to increase in the next five years, the rapidly growing category joins existing use cases such as video calling, streaming and online payments that smartphone users say they are willing to pay a premium for guaranteed performance, Ericsson said in the report.
“Young Gen AI users are already expressing a strong demand for more responsive AI experiences on 5G networks. This signals an opportunity for CSPs to meet this demand through tailored connectivity experiences,” Jasmeet Sethi, Head of ConsumerLab, Ericsson, said.