5G subscriptions to reach 2.6 billion globally by end of 2025: Report

Ericsson Mobility Report expects the global number of 5G subscriptions to top 2.6 billion within the next six years, driven by sustained momentum and a rapidly developing 5G ecosystem.

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5G to cover up to 65 per cent of the world’s population by the end of 2025: Ericsson Mobility Report

Ericsson has launched the November edition of its Ericsson Mobility Report that talks about the LTE data consumption forecast in India as well as the future of the 5G around the globe. Ericsson expects that the global number of 5G subscriptions will reach 2.6 billion within the next six years, owing to the sustained momentum and a rapidly developing 5G ecosystem.

The report says that the average monthly data-traffic-per-smartphone is expected to increase from the current figure of 7.2 GB to 24 GB by the end of 2025, in part driven by new consumer behaviour, such as Virtual Reality (VR) streaming. The report also projects that 5G will cover up to 65 per cent of the global population by the end of 2025, and handle as much as 45 per cent of global mobile data traffic.

The leading communications service providers in countries across Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America have already rolled out 5G networks. As per the report, South Korea is running 5G since April 2019 and it now has more than 3 million 5G user subscriptions by the end of September 2019. China has also launched the 5G in late October and its estimated 5G subscriptions stand at 13 million at the year-end.

Ericsson says that by the end of 2025, the most rapid uptake of 5G subscription is expected in North America with 74 per cent followed by North-East Asia at 56 per cent and Europe at 55 per cent.

In reference to India, the report says that LTE is expected to represent 80 per cent of mobile subscriptions in the country by the end of 2025. LTE subscriptions are forecast to increase by 150 million during 2019 and pass GSM/EDGE as the dominant technology.

“Smartphone users to consume a global average of 24 GB per month in 2025 from 7.2 GB currently.”

Ericsson Mobile Report says that mobile broadband technologies will account for 57 per cent of mobile subscriptions at the end of the year in India. Also, the share of smartphone subscriptions is expected to increase from 48 per cent to 54 per cent. Regarding 5G subscriptions in the country, the Ericsson expects that the new technology will become available in 2022 and represent 11 per cent of mobile subscriptions at the end of 2025.

The report notes that the average monthly mobile data usage per smartphone in the India region has seen an extraordinary increase in recent years, becoming the highest in the world.

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“Low prices for mobile broadband services, affordable smartphones and people’s changing video viewing habits have continued to drive monthly usage growth in the region,” states Nitin Bansal, Head of Network Solutions for the Market Area Southeast Asia, Oceania and India.

The report says that the high growth in the number of smartphone users and an increase in average usage per smartphone, around 500 million additional smartphone users are expected in India and total traffic is projected to triple by 2025.

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