Report: 5G technology will provide coverage to one-third of the world’s population by 2025.
“5G” connections are forecast to reach 1.1 billion by 2025, according to a recent report by industry trade group GSMA. The association predicts commercial 5G networks will begin to be widely deployed at the start of the next decade, and by 2025, will provide coverage to one-third of the world’s population.
“The 5G era will usher in innovations that enable richer, smarter and more convenient living and working, making possible a huge array of new applications, everything from sensor-driven smart parking to holographic conference calls,” said Mats Granryd, director general at GSMA. “5G is an opportunity to create an agile, purpose-built network tailored to the different needs of citizens and the economy. But it is vital that all stakeholders work together to ensure that 5G is successfully standardized, regulated and brought to market.”
The GSMA also said 5G networks will co-exist with 4G networks and alternative network technologies to deliver a high-speed and secure broadband experience.
From the carrier perspective, Verizon Communications, seen by many in a leadership position in terms of the move towards deploying next-generation network technology, this week reaffirmed plans for commercial deployments beginning next year.
A recent GSMA report announced during the Mobile World Congress 2017 event revealed the number of unique mobile subscribers around the world will surpass 5 billion by mid-year, and to 5.7 billion by the end of the decade. Subscriber growth is expected to be driven primarily by large Asia markets such as India, which alone is forecast to add 310 million new subscribers by 2020, the GSMA said.
At the end of last year, there were 4.8 billion unique mobile subscribers and 7.9 billion SIM connections worldwide, according to the study. Nearly 55% of these connections were running on mobile broadband (3G/4G) networks, which are forecast to account for almost 75% of connections by 2020.