More than half a billion 5G subscriptions expected by 2021—Report

Ericsson, a multinational telecommunications company, has said that 5G will soon become the fastest adopted mobile generation in history.

Ericsson made this known in a statement in Lagos last week, noting that subscriptions were increasing at a rate of about a million per day.

According to the report, China, North America and the Gulf Cooperation Council markets are leading the way on subscriber numbers, while Europe is off to a slow start.

It said that 5G subscriptions with a 5G-capable device grew by 70 million during the first quarter of 2021 and is forecast to reach 580 million by the end of 2021.

The forecast, which features in the 20th edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report, enhances the expectation that 5G would become the fastest adopted mobile generation.

It said that about 3.5 billion 5G subscriptions and 60 per cent 5G population coverage, had been estimated by the end of 2026.

The report, however, said the pace of adoption varies widely by region, adding that Europe was off to a slower start and has continued to fall far behind China, the U.S., Korea, Japan and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets in the pace of 5G deployments.

According to the report, 5G is expected to surpass a billion subscriptions two years ahead of the 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) timeline for the same milestone.

The report said that key factors behind the growth included China’s earlier commitment to 5G, availability and increasing affordability of commercial 5G devices.

It said that more than 300 5G smartphone models had already been announced or inaugurated commercially.

“This commercial 5G momentum is expected to continue in coming years, spurred by the enhanced role of connectivity as a key component of post-COVID-19 economic recovery.

“North East Asia is expected to account for the largest share of 5G subscriptions by 2026, with an estimated 1.4 billion 5G subscriptions.

“While North American and GCC markets are expected to account for the highest 5G subscription penetration, with 5G mobile subscriptions comprising 84 per cent and 73 per cent of all regional mobile subscriptions respectively,” it said.

Mr Fredrik Jejdling, the Executive Vice President and Head of Networks, Ericsson said: “This landmark twentieth edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report shows that we are in the next phase of 5G.”

“With accelerating roll-outs and coverage expansion in pioneer markets such as China, the U.S. and South Korea.”

According to the report, it is needed to accommodate increasing FWA traffic, which it forecasts to grow by a factor of seven to reach 64 EB in 2026.

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