Ericsson Mobility Report: 5G Growth

Ericsson released its June 2026 Mobility Report, revealing that global 5G mobile subscriptions surpassed three billion in Q1 2026, reaching 3.1 billion, and are projected to more than double to 6.4 billion by 2031. The report highlights the rapid growth of 5G Standalone (SA) network slicing commercial offerings, increasing from 65 to 84 globally. It also notes that uplink mobile data traffic is growing faster than downlink for many service providers, driven by smartphone communication, user-generated content, and cloud storage. In India, 5G subscriptions are expected to exceed 1.1 billion by 2031, achieving 81 percent penetration, fueled by affordable devices, expanded network coverage, and growing Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services. Conversely, 4G subscriptions in India are forecast to decline sharply as users migrate to 5G. India continues to lead globally in mobile data consumption, with average monthly usage projected to nearly double to 70 GB by 2031. The report also touches upon the increasing industry focus on 6G standardization, with initial specifications expected by late 2028 or early 2029 and commercial services around 2030. Erik Ekudden, CTO of Ericsson, emphasized the evolution of mobile networks into critical, intelligent infrastructure, while Nitin Bansal, MD of Ericsson India, highlighted 5G's role in India's digital transformation.