Ericsson said that 5G subscribers are expected to account for 25% of all mobile subscriptions by the end of 2024
Global 5G subscriptions reached 2.1 billion at the end of the third quarter of the year, with an increase of 163 million during the quarter, according to the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.
Ericsson noted that this figure is expected to rise further, reaching nearly 2.3 billion by the end of the year, accounting for over 25% of all mobile subscriptions.
The vendor also highlighted that momentum behind 5G adoption remains strong, with projections now indicating that 5G will become the dominant mobile access technology by subscription by 2027, surpassing 4G a year earlier than initially expected.
This shift is driven largely by rapid growth in markets such as China and India. By 2030, global 5G subscriptions are forecast to hit 6.3 billion, representing 67% of all mobile subscriptions, with 5G Standalone (SA) technology contributing 3.6 billion of these, according to the Ericsson report.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is projected to lead the world in 5G penetration by 2030, with an estimated 93% of subscriptions being 5G-based, followed closely by Western Europe (92%) and North America (91%). By the end of 2024, however, North America will hold the highest 5G subscription penetration globally at 71%, followed by North East Asia at 51%, the GCC countries at 47%, and Western Europe at 41%.
During Q3 2024, 4G subscriptions fell by 69 million, bringing the total to just below 5.1 billion. Similarly, 3G and 2G subscriptions dropped by 31 million and 34 million, respectively. The global phase-out of 3G networks is progressing rapidly, with 2G network sunsetting following at a slower pace depending on regional timelines and operator strategies, said Ericsson.
Globally, around 320 service providers have launched commercial 5G services, with over 60 deploying or launching 5G SA networks.
The report also noted that 5G’s share of mobile data traffic will reach an estimated 34% by the end of 2024, an increase from 25% at the end of 2023. This share is forecast to grow to 80% in 2030.
In North America, network investments stabilized in 2024 following a slowdown in 2023. The region is expected to close the year with 316 million 5G subscriptions, a figure anticipated to rise to 436 million by 2030, accounting for 91% of mobile subscriptions.
“Leading service providers in the U.S. project continued growth for FWA. Mid-band 5G network coverage has now reached a point where consumer, enterprise and government innovations across the broader tech ecosystem can accelerate,” said Ericsson.
