Global 5G adoption surpasses one billion subscriptions; India fastest growing region: Ericsson report

The global adoption of 5G technology has surpassed one billion subscriptions, with India leading the way, according to the June 2023 edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report which highlights the significant progress and positive prospects for the 5G industry.

While 5G mobile subscriptions are growing in every region, India is the fastest-growing 5G region globally. The major 5G market is experiencing extensive network deployments under the Digital India initiative. As of the end of 2022, 5G subscriptions in India had already reached approximately 10 million, and are estimated to account for around 57 percent of mobile subscriptions in the country by the end of 2028.

The report reveals that North America has experienced stronger-than-expected 5G subscription uptake. By the end of 2022, the region had the highest 5G subscription penetration globally, with 41 percent of the population utilizing 5G services.

According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, the global mobile network data traffic continues to grow, with an expected monthly average usage per smartphone surpassing 20 GB by the end of 2023.

"The global adoption of 5G technology has surpassed one billion subscriptions, bringing positive revenue growth for communications service providers in leading 5G markets," said Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks, Ericsson.

Around 240 CSPs have launched commercial 5G services worldwide, and approximately 35 have deployed or launched 5G standalone (SA) networks, with enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), fixed wireless access (FWA), gaming, and augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) services being the most common 5G services offered by CSPs.

Innovations in mobile service packaging are being driven by 5G, with CSPs increasingly offering bundles that include popular entertainment services like television, music streaming, and cloud gaming platforms. Currently, about 58 percent of 5G service providers offer such bundled services in various forms.

Furthermore, more than 100 CSPs, representing approximately 40 percent of FWA service providers, now offer FWA over 5G, demonstrating the technology's potential for providing reliable high-speed internet access.