Bihar leads India in daily internet data consumption at 49.1 PB, with YouTube and Instagram driving usage amid rising smartphone, 4G and 5G adoption
New Delhi: Mobile phones, tablets and smart devices have become an essential part of everyday life. People no longer use the internet only for calls and messages. They continuously consume data for video streaming, social media, online searches, gaming, digital payments and other services. This growing digital activity is also reflected in the country’s overall internet data consumption. According to available telecom data, Bihar leads the country in daily internet data consumption, while Maharashtra and eastern Uttar Pradesh also rank among the regions with the highest data usage.
Bihar Consumes 49.1 Petabytes of Data Every Day
According to the data, Bihar consumes around 49.1 petabytes (PB) of internet data every day. On a decimal basis, this is equivalent to approximately 49.1 million gigabytes (GB). Such high consumption highlights the growing use of smartphones and mobile internet across the state.
Maharashtra follows Bihar with 48.7 petabytes, while eastern Uttar Pradesh records daily data consumption of 42.31 petabytes. These figures show that internet usage is no longer limited to major metropolitan cities. Mobile internet has become an integral part of everyday life in smaller cities and rural areas as well.
According to a CRISIL assessment of India’s telecom industry, telecom and internet services still have significant room for growth in relatively low-tele-density circles such as Bihar. The report recorded Bihar’s tele-density at 55.2% in FY2023, compared with 84.5% for the country as a whole.
YouTube Emerges as the Biggest Data-Consuming Platform
Video has emerged as one of the biggest drivers of rising internet data consumption. According to the available figures, YouTube accounts for 24.3% of total data consumption. This means that nearly one-fourth of the data used on the internet goes towards watching videos on YouTube.
Along with long-form videos, Shorts and other short-form content have also increased video consumption. Users spend data not only while watching individual videos but also while continuously scrolling through multiple videos. Streaming content in high-definition and 4K quality can increase data consumption even further.
YouTube’s widespread reach in India also reflects this changing pattern of internet usage. DataReportal figures have consistently placed India among YouTube’s largest user markets.
Instagram Also Drives Data Consumption
After video platforms, social media has become another major contributor to internet data consumption. According to the available figures, Instagram accounts for 21.7% of data usage. Reels, Stories, videos, live streams and photos consume significant amounts of data as users continuously browse the platform.
The autoplay feature on Reels can further increase data consumption. Users often move directly from one video to another without realizing how much mobile data they are consuming.
The combined share of YouTube and Instagram stands at 46%. This means that, according to the available figures, almost half of the total data consumption is linked to these two platforms. The trend highlights how internet usage in India is shifting from text-based content towards video and visual content.
Facebook and Google Also Contribute Significantly
Facebook accounts for 17.5% of data consumption, according to the available figures. Users also consume data while searching on Google, visiting websites and carrying out other online activities.
Social media platforms are no longer limited to communication. People use them to read news, watch videos, shop online, view advertisements and access other digital services. As a result, spending time on a single platform can involve several different forms of data consumption.
5G Boosts High-Speed Data Consumption
The expansion of 5G networks in India has also contributed to growing data usage. According to a 2025 report based on TRAI data, overall data usage in the country increased by 4.3% in a quarter, while 5G data consumption grew by 18.1%. During the same period, 5G accounted for nearly 30% of total data usage.
Higher network speeds allow users to access high-quality videos, live streams and other data-intensive services more easily. This can also contribute to an increase in per-user data consumption.
Video Streaming Consumes the Most Data
People consume internet data in several ways, but video streaming remains one of the biggest contributors. Watching content on YouTube, Netflix and other OTT platforms in HD or higher quality can consume large amounts of data.
Other activities also contribute to rising data usage. These include watching Reels and videos on Instagram and Facebook, downloading large files, uploading photos and videos, playing online games and keeping apps on automatic updates.
Rising Data Consumption Signals India’s Digital Transformation
The high levels of data consumption recorded in Bihar, Maharashtra and eastern Uttar Pradesh represent more than just increased internet usage. They also reflect the broader digital transformation taking place across India. Affordable data plans, wider smartphone availability, expanding 4G and 5G networks and the growing popularity of video-based entertainment have significantly changed internet consumption habits.
As internet connectivity expands further across rural areas and smaller cities, the use of video platforms, social media and online services is likely to grow. Data consumption, therefore, will no longer remain a story limited to major metropolitan centres. Instead, it is likely to become an increasingly important indicator of India’s digital lifestyle.
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