BY CHIMA AKWAJA |
Ericsson estimates that by the end of 2020, more than one billion people – 15 percent of the world’s population will live in an area that has 5G coverage rolled out.
It projects that four out of every 10 mobile subscriptions in 2026 will be 5G. This forecast is included in the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.
Current 5G uptake in subscriptions and population coverage confirms the technology as deploying the fastest of any generation of mobile connectivity.
In 2026, 60 percent of the world’s population will have access to 5G coverage, with 5G subscriptions forecast to reach 3.5 billion. Ericsson has raised its year-end 2020 estimate for global 5G subscriptions to 220 million, as service providers continue to build out their networks.
The increase is largely due to fast uptake in China, reaching 11 percent of its mobile subscription base. This is driven by a national strategic focus, intense competition between service providers, as well as increasingly affordable 5G smartphones from several vendors.
North America is expected to end the year with around 4 percent of its mobile subscriptions being 5G. Commercialization is now moving at a rapid pace and by 2026, Ericsson forecasts that 80 percent of North American mobile subscriptions will be 5G, the highest level of any region in the world.
Europe will end the year with around one percent 5G subscriptions in the region. During the year, a number of countries have delayed their auctions of the radio spectrum needed to support 5G deployment.
Executive vice president and head of Networks, Ericsson, Fredrik Jejdling, said, “This year has seen society take a big leap towards digitalisation. The pandemic has highlighted the impact connectivity has on our lives and has acted as a catalyst for rapid change, which is also clearly visible in this latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.
“5G is entering the next phase, when new devices and applications make the most out of the benefits it provides, while service providers continue to build out 5G. Mobile networks are a critical infrastructure for many aspects of everyday life, and 5G will be key to future economic prosperity.”
The report also highlights why 5G success will not be limited to coverage or subscription numbers alone.
determined by new use cases and applications, the first of which have already started to emerge.
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