5G subscriptions set to reach 840 mn in India by 2029 end

New Delhi: 5G subscriptions are projected to reach around 840 million in India by the end of 2029, accounting for 65 per cent of mobile subscriptions in the region, a new report showed on Wednesday.

According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, total mobile subscriptions in the region are estimated to grow by 1.3 billion in 2029.

"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," said Fredrik Jejdling, Executive VP and Head of Networks, Ericsson. On a global level, researchers estimated that 5G subscriptions will be close to 5.6 billion by the end of 2029. 5G is expected to account for about 60 per cent of all mobile subscriptions by the end of 2029 globally. Moreover, the report mentioned that India has made large-scale mid-band deployments, reaching over 90 per cent population coverage by the end of 2023.

5G subscriptions in India reached around 119 million and 5G penetration reached 10 per cent by the end of 2023. Meanwhile, the government began the auction of 5G spectrum worth Rs 96,238.45 crore for telecom services. The total quantum of spectrum being auctioned is 10,522.35 MHz in various bands.

The 5G spectrum auction is witnessing participation from three bidders: Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio Infocomm.