India to have 1.2 billion smartphone connections by 2030, half of them 5G

New Delhi, Oct 18 (IANS) India is projected to have 1.2 billion smartphone connections by 2030, with half of the users on 5G smartphones, according to a new report.

According to global mobile network body GSMA, the country is projected to have over 641 million 5G subscribers by 2030, growing at 49 per cent.

“India will see an unprecedented growth in the number of 5G mobile subscribers, and an explosion of data usage in the next six years,” according to GSMA Intelligence projections.

This stupendous growth in 5G subscribers will also lead to a huge expansion of data consumption, impelling Indian telcos to make large investments.

The data consumption per subscriber is likely to grow at a CAGR of 15 per cent between 2023 and 2029, to reach 68 GB per month per subscriber in India.

In the Asia-Pacific region, India and Indonesia are uniquely positioned to leverage digitalisation to drive economic resilience, job creation, and innovation.

According to the latest ‘GSMA Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2024 Report’, India is projected to have 1.2 billion smartphone connections by 2030, while Indonesia is expected to reach 387 million connections by the same year,” said the organisation.

Furthermore, mobile technologies and services generated 5.3 per cent of GDP across the APAC region in 2023, contributing $880 billion in economic value, and supporting approximately 13 million jobs across the region.

“India and Indonesia are not just the largest democracies in the APAC region; they are the future engines of digital and economic growth for the region. By fostering partnerships and collaboration, we are laying the foundation for a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable digital future for both nations.” said Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA.

Meanwhile, the widespread availability of spectrum for 5G is likely to contribute about $27 billion to India's gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030, according to a recent GSMA report.

The organisation, which represents mobile networks worldwide, said the upper 6 GHz band must also be part of the spectrum roadmap of the country.

The launch of 5G has emerged as a significant catalyst for the growth in data usage.