India’s average mobile data hits 31GB

India’s average monthly mobile data consumption per user surged past 31 GB in 2025, up from 27.5 GB in 2024, according to a report by Nokia.

The 13th edition of Nokia’s Mobile Broadband Index (MBiT) highlights a sharp rise in data demand, driven by the rapid adoption of 5G services and increased usage of high-bandwidth applications. These include AI-powered tools, 4K video streaming, and cloud gaming, all of which are contributing to heavier data consumption across the country.

India’s total monthly mobile data traffic crossed 27 exabytes (EB) in 2025, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.7 per cent over the past five years. Notably, 5G data traffic alone jumped 70 per cent year-on-year to reach 12.9 EB, now accounting for nearly 47 per cent of overall mobile broadband traffic.

The report also notes that India has emerged as a global leader in 5G adoption, with the world’s second-largest 5G subscriber base and data consumption levels. Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) has played a crucial role in this expansion, contributing over 25 per cent of total 5G data traffic, alongside a two-fold rise in subscribers.

Metro cities continue to dominate 5G usage, where the technology accounts for 58 per cent of total mobile data traffic. On the device front, India had 892 million active 4G devices in 2025, including over 383 million 5G-capable devices.

Affordable smartphones are accelerating this transition, with budget 5G devices witnessing a tenfold rise in shipments. Over 90 per cent of smartphones shipped in 2025 supported 5G.

Looking ahead, Nokia projects India’s 5G subscriber base to exceed one billion by 2031.