Ericsson projects that 5G mobile subscriptions will exceed 580 million by the end of 2021, driven by an estimated one million new 5G mobile subscriptions every day.
The forecast is featured in the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report which also expects 5G to be the fastest adopted mobile generation.
About 3.5 billion 5G subscriptions and 60 per cent 5G population coverage are forecast by the end of 2026 in the report.
Although the pace of adoption varies widely by region. Europe is off to a slower start and has continued to fall behind China, the US, Korea, and Japanese markets in the pace of 5G deployment.
5G is expected to surpass one billion subscriptions two years ahead of the 4G LTE timeline for the same milestone. Key factors behind that include China’s earlier commitment to 5G and the earlier availability and increasing affordability of 5G devices.
More than 300 5G smartphone models have already been announced or launched commercially.
Ericsson executive vice president and head of networks Fredrik Jejdling 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 USA and South Korea.
“Now is the time for advanced use cases to start materialising and deliver on the promise of 5G.
“Businesses and societies are also preparing for a post-pandemic world, with 5G-powered digitalisation playing a critical role.”
The latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report can be found here.
