43% of Airtel, Jio smartphone users have shifted to 5G

India's shift to 5G has far outpaced expectations of experts, with 43 per cent of the total smartphone subscriber base of Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel collectively shifting to the new technology, according to government and company data till the end of the fourth quarter of 2024-25 (Q4FY25).

- SURAJEET DAS GUPTA

The 5G penetration of the two telcos was estimated at only 29 per cent of the total smartphone subscriber base in Q1FY25.

The growth in numbers has been phenomenal—as many as 326 million smartphone subscribers are already on 5G for the two telcos, compared to 220 million in Q1FY25.

Airtel now has half of its 272.8 million smartphone subscribers (it has a larger sub-base if one includes 2G customers) on 5G by the end of Q4FY25.

In the case of Reliance Jio, which has a larger subscriber base of 488 million in the same period, the share has touched 40 per cent.