Fixed wireless access (FWA) connections in India are expected to grow sharply over the next five years, reaching 21.4 million by 2030 and expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 21.4 percent between 2025 and 2030, according to a new forecast from GlobalData.
FWA has emerged as one of the most significant use case for 5G in India. The top two Indian telcos, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, are aggressively focusing on FWA to monetize their 5G investment.
Data from GlobalData’s India Fixed Communications Forecast (Q3 2025) shows that FWA will account for an increasing share of the country’s fixed broadband market, rising from 15.3 percent in 2025 to 27.5 percent by 2030. The research highlights accelerating demand for high-speed connectivity in areas with limited fiber coverage and growing acceptance of FWA as an alternative to traditional wired broadband.
Neha Misra, Telecom Analyst at GlobalData, said the rollout of 5G FWA services by Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel is driving adoption. Both operators launched their offerings — JioAirFiber and Xstream AirFiber — in 2023 and have since been expanding service availability across the country to deliver high-capacity home and business broadband, particularly in underserved regions.
Airtel has publicly outlined plans to scale its home broadband footprint through FWA, while Jio is using a dedicated 5G network slice for its AirFiber service along with automated, AI-driven network operations. Jio is targeting 100 million home connections through a combination of fiber and FWA.
Following the moves by private operators, state-run BSNL entered the market with the launch of its Quantum 5G FWA service in Hyderabad in June 2025. The service, which recorded download speeds of nearly 1 Gbps in trials, uses a self-install customer premises equipment model that can cover up to 85 percent of households without requiring fiber deployment.
Misra noted that FWA can help remove last-mile barriers and expand broadband access in rural and remote regions, contributing to digital inclusion and supporting the country’s broader digital transformation goals.
The report further mentions that the evolving use cases, from smart homes and SME connectivity to remote learning and telemedicine, will help in supporting the growth of FWA services. Continued investments in 5G infrastructure by major operators are expected to accelerate adoption over the forecast period.
According to GlobalData, India’s emerging FWA ecosystem offers operators a significant revenue opportunity by enabling rapid expansion of home and enterprise broadband without the high capital requirements of fiber rollout. By leveraging nationwide 5G networks and bundling digital home services, operators can increase Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and improve penetration in underserved markets. FWA is projected to become a key strategic pillar for operator monetization as demand for high-capacity broadband continues to rise.
