Ericsson: global 5G subscriptions will pass the one billion milestone by the end of 2022

At present, the penetration rate of 5G network services is the highest in North America and Northeast Asia, accounting for about 50% of all 5G network service users. Ericsson predicts that by 2027, 90% of 5G-connected services will be used in North America, in Western Europe, the number of users of 5G network services will account for 82%, the proportion of the Gulf Cooperation Council region will reach 80%, and for the number of users of 5G network services in Northeast Asia, the proportion of users can reach 74%.

Igor Maurell, Head of Ericsson Thailand, says: “Southeast Asia, especially Thailand, is expected to see a robust growth in terms of both 5G subscriptions and consumption. In South East Asia and Oceania, mobile data traffic per smartphone continues to grow strongly and is expected to reach around 45GB per month in 2027 – a CAGR of 30 percent. The Thai market is very dynamic with some of the most ICT-savvy consumers in the world.”

In Northeast Asia, 5G is already the only type of mobile service that is currently growing. More and more mobile users are rapidly shifting from 4G networks to 5G networks. Last year, about 275 million new users were added, and the number of mobile users is expected to reach 1 billion by the end of 2023. In addition, telecom operators in Northeast Asia continue to increase 5G network coverage by increasing base station sites or deploying 5G networks in low-frequency bands.

According to the report, the current growth rate of 5G network service users is faster than that of 4G network, and the milestone of 1 billion users will be reached two years ahead of schedule. At present, the 5G network has covered a quarter of the world’s population. The number of 5G network users will increase by nearly 70 million in the first quarter of 2022 alone, and 5G network coverage is expected to correspond to about three-quarters of the world’s population in 2027.