New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) Mobile broadband users in India more than doubled to 765 million and 4G data traffic grew 6.5 times in the last five years, according to a Nokia report released on Tuesday.
The 4G service contributed 99 per cent to the country’s total data consumption and is expected to continue as a broadband growth engine for the next few years even as 5G services are expected to be rolled out in India this year, a senior Nokia official said while sharing details of the annual Nokia MBiT report.
“Mobile data usage CAGR ( compound annual growth rate) has gone to 53 per cent over 2017 to 2021 and average data used by consumers per month basis is 3 times and gone to 17 GB per month. Mobile broadband users have grown 2.2 times in the last 5 years. All the perspectives of data usage have shown substantial growth in India,” Nokia, senior vice president and head of India, Sanjay Malik said.
According to the report, India recorded the highest-ever shipment of more than 160 million smartphones, including 30 million 5G devices in 2021, with active 4G capable devices crossing 80 per cent and the number of active 5G capable devices, crossing 10 million.
The report said that millennials are now spending around 8 hours per day online.
Nokia head for customer marketing and communication for India, Amit Marwah said that consumption of short video format, increase in penetration of smartphones in rural areas, time spent by millennials on mobile and regional content are driving data consumption in India. According to the report, 4G services contributed 99 per cent of the total broadband that is consumed in India.
The report shared third party estimates which project that by 2026, mobile 5G services are forecasted to generate USD 9 billion equivalent to 37.7 per cent of total mobile service revenue by 2026.
Marwah said fixed broadband wireless connections have taken a leap in the last 2 years which also shows that fixed wireless will be a popular technology when 5G services are rolled out.
