India has the highest data per smartphone averaging at 9.8GB per month and this is expected to grow to 18GB by 2024. (Image source: Bloomberg) India has the highest data per smartphone averaging at 9.8GB per month and this is expected to grow to 18GB by 2024. (Image source: Bloomberg)

India has the highest data usage per smartphone, reveals the Ericsson Mobility Report for the June 2019 edition. The number stood at 9.8GB per month on average for a smartphone at the end of 2018, according to the report.

Ericsson’s report says that the increased numbers of LTE subscriptions, attractive data plans being offered by telecos coupled with changing video viewing habits among the younger crowd have helped driven up monthly usage in India per smartphone.

According to the report, mobile video traffic is fueling the total data traffic as users are spending more time streaming and sharing videos. Ericsson expects this video consumption trend is expected to continue given with the rollout of 5G networks in the future. 5G networks will also support augmented reality videos and streaming of 360-degree videos, thus fueling mobile traffic growth further.

The report predicts that the total mobile data traffic per month in India will increase from 4.6 exabytes (EB) in 2018 to 16EB by 2024. It also predicts that the total smartphone subscriptions in the region will reach 1.1 billion by 2024 growing at 11 percent, while the total mobile broadband subscriptions will be 1.25 billion in 2024.

Still LTE will remain the dominant technology and will account for 82 percent of mobile subscriptions by the end of 2024. Right now, the number is at 38 per cent for end of 2018. Ericsson’s reports shows that India will have 1.16 billion LTE connections by 2024. Video will push the monthly data usage per smartphone from 9.8GB in 2018 to 18GB by 2024.

“LTE will remain the most dominant access technology in the region up to 2024 even as 5G subscriptions are expected to grow during this period. Based on the latest Consumer Lab study done by Ericsson, we have found that Indian smartphone users are willing to pay more than 66 percent premium for 5G services,” Nitin Bansal, Head of Ericsson India and Head of Network Solutions, South East Asia, Oceania and India said.

Ericsson also expects 5G coverage to grow rapidly and predicts that it will reach 45 per cent of the world’s population by end of 2024. The report expects North America to have the fastest 5G subscriptions by 2024 with 63 percent of anticipated mobile subscriptions being for the newer technology.

North East Asia is predicted to be in second place (47 percent), and Europe in third (40 percent) for 5G mobile subscriptions by 2024.

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