Data Usage Per Smartphone In India Is Going To Double By 2024

India had the highest average data usage per smartphone, 9.8 GB monthly. This number is expected to almost double before 2024, a report said. According to a report’s edition in June 2019 of Ericsson Mobility, smartphone users in India are ready to pay over 66% of the premium to have access to 5G services.

The figures were released as India is going to pilot 5G. Spectrum allocation norms for piloting 5G has recently been cleared in India by the highest decision-making body in the Telecom Department - The Digital Communications Commission.

It is also scheduled to hold spectrum auctions this year. To make sure that there is greater players’ participation, the regulator has been asked to reconsider some spectrum recommendations, in which there is 5G radiowaves.

5G uptake all around the world has been predicted to be very fast, according to the report of Ericsson Mobility.

The report has also predicted 1.1 billion smartphone subscriptions will be reached in India, including Bhutan and Nepal, by 2024, which grows at 11% of CAGR. On the other hand, it is expected that Indian total mobile broadband subscriptions will grow 13% of CAGR, which is up to 1.25 billion from nearly 610 million during 6 years from 2018 to 2024.

Nowadays, the technologies of mobile broadband make up over 50% of subscriptions, added the report. According to the report:

With 30 million net mobile subscriptions, China was proud of its net adds in the Q1 of 2019. However, that number in India declined by 14 million because large operators introduced minimum recharge plans in order to support profitability.

Nitin Bansal, Ericsson India's Head and Head of Network Solutions, South East Asia, Oceania and India, added: