Ericsson released yesterday the November 2023 edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report, which confirms that enhanced mobile broadband, fixed wireless access, gaming and AR/VR/-based services as the most common early consumer use cases for 5G.
The report highlights that 5G subscriptions will reach around 5.3 billion globally, and 550 million in Southeast Asia and Oceania alone by the end of 2029. It estimates that mobile data traffic per smartphone continues to grow strongly in Southeast Asia and Oceania and is expected to reach around 66GB per month in 2029 from 24GB per month in 2023 - a CAGR of 19 per cent. The report also states that approximately 85 percent of the global population will have 5G coverage access by the end of 2029.
Ericsson estimates that almost one-in-five of all global mobile subscriptions will be 5G subscriptions by the end of 2023, as the growth proves resilient despite continued economic challenges and geopolitical unrest in some markets.
The latest report is the twenty-fifth edition and has a new upper timeline for statistical forecasts, moving from 2028 to 2029. The report also explores wireless connectivity for the manufacturing industry, how 5G is becoming a key determinant of production output and how it enables the agility required to support rapid changes and reallocation of resources.
Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks, Ericsson
With more than 600 million 5G subscriptions added globally this year, and rising in every region, it is evident that the demand for high performance connectivity is strong. The roll-out out of 5G continues and we see an increasing number of 5G standalone networks being deployed, bringing opportunities to support new and more demanding applications for both consumers and enterprises.
Peter Jonsson, Executive Editor, Ericsson Mobility Report, Ericsson
The rate of data growth in mobile networks clearly reflects consumers’ passion for enhanced mobile broadband-related applications. This trend will increase in pace as more consumers worldwide embrace 5G and new use cases emerge, triggering further growth in data traffic. As most traffic is generated indoors, where people typically spend most of their time, there is a growing need to extend 5G mid-band coverage both indoors and outdoors to ensure a comprehensive 5G experience in all locations.
