Mobile data use to double to 46GB/month by 2027: Study

NEW DELHI: As the high-speed 5G network starts to expand its reach in India, average data consumption per user will more than double to 46GB per month in five years, telecom network provider Nokia has forecasted. According to the Nokia MBiT Index report, data consumption has been growing rapidly in India, especially after the entry of Reliance Jio that unleashed an internet revolution through the introduction of cheap tariffs in September 2016. The report said that average monthly data traffic per user moved up at a CAGR of 19% between 2018 and 2022, rising to 19. 5GB per month at the close of last year against 9. 7GB in 2018.

The report said that while 4G was the dominant technology till 2022-end, the next phase of growth will be led by 5G-driven applications and services. Nokia said that migration of 4G customers to 5G has begun, and will gather further pace in the coming years. Simultaneously, there will be upgrades to 4G also as an estimated 350 million 2G customers move up. The 2G to 4G migration already saw addition of 31 million data subscribers in 2022, which is likely to grow stronger this year.
The report also delved into the issue of private wireless networks for enterprises that have been allowed under 5G. It said that mirroring the trend across key Western markets, India will also see a boom in adoption of private networks which are likely to contribute as much as 40% to overall 5G revenues. Nokia said that Indian enterprises are likely to spend about $240 million for deploying such private networks by 2027, and there will be over 2,000 sites supporting such installations. “Manufacturing, utilities, transportation and healthcare will constitute the majority of private wireless network deployment in India,” Nokia said.