Taiwan has surpassed India as a global leader in mobile data consumption, with users averaging nearly 40 gigabytes of data per month, according to a new industry report.
Data from the latest Ericsson Mobility Report, cross-referenced with statistics from Taiwan's National Communications Commission (NCC), shows that the average monthly mobile data usage per person in Taiwan surged to 39.7 GB by late 2025. This figure eclipses India, long considered a data superpower, which recorded an average of 36 GB per user.
“Taiwan's mobile data usage is staggering, driven not only by video viewing habits but more by the deep penetration of digital life,” said Daniel Chou (周大企), general manager of Ericsson Taiwan.
Despite the high usage rates, telecom operators face a persistent challenge: converting data volume into revenue. With the prevalence of unlimited data plans, traffic growth often fails to translate into proportional financial gains.
The Rise of Uplink Traffic
Ericsson executives suggest the solution lies in a fundamental shift in how networks are used, driven by artificial intelligence and "uplink" traffic.
For the past three decades, mobile network traffic has maintained an 80-to-20 split, with the vast majority of bandwidth used for downloading videos and browsing websites. Only about 20 percent of traffic has been dedicated to "uplink" activities, such as sending messages or uploading photos.
However, the rise of generative AI and extended reality (XR) devices is upending this balance.
“In the future, when everyone has AI agents or wears smart glasses and other XR devices, devices will constantly need to upload live images and sensor data to the cloud for processing,” Chou said. “Uplink traffic growth will be exponential.”
This shift will require operators to rethink network planning, which has historically prioritized download speeds over upload stability. In scenarios involving autonomous driving, telemedicine, and AI collaboration, upload capacity will become critical.
Uplink traffic will become telecom operators' new currency,” Chou said.
From Economy to Business Class
To monetize these changes, operators are looking to models adopted by industry leaders like Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel), which are moving from selling raw data to selling service guarantees.
Through 5G network slicing and open application programming interfaces (APIs), operators can create dedicated "fast lanes" for specific users, such as livestreamers, gamers, or enterprise clients.
Chou compared the future network landscape to airline travel, noting that networks will likely feature quality distinctions similar to business and economy classes.
In this scenario, a user in a congested area, such as a concert venue, could purchase a one-hour "high-priority upload service" through an app to ensure connectivity.
For Taiwan's telecom operators, the shift offers a potential exit from the industry's "low-price quagmire." As high-value AI uplink data comprises a larger share of the 39.7 GB average, establishing tiered pricing models could revitalize the sector's revenue streams. （Related： Taiwan's Silicon Dreams Through US Alignment Are a Fantasy ｜ Latest ）
