Nokia released findings from the 13th edition of its annual Mobile Broadband Index (MBiT), highlighting continued strong momentum in India’s 5G adoption and data consumption trends. The report reveals that pan-India monthly 5G data traffic grew 70% year-on-year to reach 12.9 exabytes (EB) in 2025, contributing nearly 47% of overall mobile broadband traffic.
Average monthly mobile data consumption per user increased to over 31 GB in 2025, representing an 18% compound annual growth rate over the past five years. This growth reflects the rapid expansion of enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) and growing demand for data-intensive use cases such as AI applications, 4K video streaming and cloud gaming. Overall data traffic crossed 27 EB per month in 2025, reflecting sustained growth driven by expanding 5G coverage and the growing availability of affordable 5G smartphones.
Nationwide 5G expansion and strengthening device ecosystem
The report notes that metro circles continue to lead 5G adoption, with 5G now accounting for 58% of total mobile data traffic in these markets, up significantly from the previous year. Growth has also accelerated across Category A, B and C circles, indicating deeper nationwide penetration of 5G connectivity.
India’s device ecosystem is also evolving rapidly. The number of active 4G devices reached 892 million in 2025, of which over 383 million are already 5G capable, while over 90% of smartphones shipped during the year supported 5G, strengthening readiness for multi-band deployments in 5G.
AI-led network evolution and India’s global 5G leadership
The report also highlights the emerging impact of the AI supercycle, which is expected to significantly reshape network traffic patterns. As AI-enabled applications, immersive experiences and autonomous systems gain scale, networks will need to evolve toward AI-native, intent-based architectures capable of handling higher uplink demand, lower latency requirements and more distributed computing workloads.
Looking ahead, the Nokia MBiT Index projects that India’s 5G subscriber base could exceed 1 billion by 2031. The report highlights India’s growing global leadership in 5G connectivity. The country now has the world’s second largest 5G subscriber base and second highest level of 5G data consumption, underlining the scale and maturity of its digital ecosystem.
Vibha Mehra, Country Manager – Designate for India, Nokia, said: “India’s mobile broadband landscape is entering a new phase of evolution, driven by rapid 5G adoption and the growing influence of AI-led applications. As networks transform to support new usage patterns and intelligent services, Nokia remains committed to partnering with telcos to build scalable, high-performance and future-ready connectivity infrastructure.”
