India's mobile data usage quadruples in five years, leads global consumption

NEW DELHI: Mobile data usage in India has seen a remarkable increase over the past five years, with the average monthly data consumption per user rising from 5 GB to 20 GB. This surge is attributed to the widespread adoption of smartphones, improved network infrastructure and more affordable data plans.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly contributed to this trend as people spent more time at home, leading to a substantial rise in internet content consumption. The popularity of OTT platforms and online gaming further fueled mobile phone usage.

Major events like the Cricket World Cup and the Football World Cup also played a role in the increased data usage, which has grown by 20 percent year-on-year. Currently, an average user consumes 24 GB of data per month.

Reliance Jio reports a 2.4 times increase in data usage during the last quarter of the previous financial year compared to the same period over the last three years. Per capita data usage has jumped from 13.3 GB to 28.7 GB, with Jio leading the market with a 41 percent share. India now holds the distinction of being the highest data-consuming country in the world.