Ericsson Media Release | June 26, 2024
- Global mobile data traffic is expected to grow 20% annually by the end of 2029..
- In India, the number of 5G subscribers is expected to reach approximately 840 million by the end of 2029.
- India has the highest average monthly usage per smartphone at 29GB
According to Ericsson’s (NASDAQ: ERIC) latest Mobility Report, the number of 5G subscribers is expected to approach 5.6 billion by the end of 2029, and global 5G population coverage outside mainland China is expected to double from 40% at the end of 2023 to 80% by the end of 2029.
Currently, approximately 300 CSPs worldwide are offering 5G services, of which approximately 50 have launched 5G Standalone (5G SA). 5G continues to grow in all regions and is expected to account for approximately 60% of total mobile subscriptions by the end of 2029. In the first three months of 2024, approximately 160 million 5G subscriptions were added worldwide, bringing the total to more than 1.7 billion. For the whole of 2024, almost 600 million new subscriptions are expected.
Data traffic on mobile networks grew 25% year-on-year between the end of March 2023 and the end of March 2024. This is mainly due to subscriber migration to later generations and data-intensive services such as video.
Mobile data traffic is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of about 20% through 2029. By the end of 2023, about a quarter of all mobile network data was carried by 5G; this figure is projected to grow to about 75% by the end of 2029.
Fredrik Jedling, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks, Ericsson, says: “The June 2024 Ericsson Mobility Report shows continued strong adoption of 5G subscriptions. Enhanced mobile broadband and fixed wireless access are the leading use cases, with signs that 5G capabilities are influencing service providers’ fixed wireless access offerings. The report also highlights the need for increased deployment of 5G standalone technologies to realize 5G’s full potential.”
Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) continues to gain momentum as a 5G use case for Communications Service Providers (CSPs) around the world, with the number of CSPs offering the service exponentially increasing over the past year. FWA is now the second-largest 5G use case after enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB).
5G is expected to become the mainstream subscription mobile access technology by the end of the forecast period. Although 5G population coverage is expanding, 5G mid-band has only been deployed at approximately 25% of all sites worldwide outside mainland China. 5G mid-band spectrum offers a sweet spot of both coverage and capacity, improving user experience. As 5G matures, the focus of many service providers is expected to shift to developing differentiated connectivity services.
Outside mainland China, 5G mid-band population coverage has reached 35%. North America and India are seeing rapid deployment, with mid-band coverage exceeding 85% and 90%, respectively.
In terms of user experience, statistics from a major service provider show that 97 percent of all user activities on 5G mid-band achieved content display times of less than 1.5 seconds, compared to 67 percent on 5G low-band and 38 percent on 4G (all bands).
India: The number of 5G subscribers in the country is forecast to grow from 119 million at the end of 2023 (accounting for 10% of all mobile subscribers) to an astounding 840 million by the end of 2029, accounting for 65% of all subscribers. This impressive growth is underpinned by a massive mid-band deployment, which targets to cover over 90% of the population by the end of 2023.
India also continues to lead the way in data consumption per smartphone, which is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% between 2023 and 2029. Monthly data consumption per smartphone in India is expected to grow from 29GB in 2023 to an unprecedented 68GB by 2029, maintaining its position as the highest in the world.
Enhanced mobile broadband and FWA are emerging as early use cases for 5G. The total number of mobile subscriptions in the region is forecast to grow from 1.2 billion in 2023 to 1.3 billion in 2029. 4G will continue to be the dominant subscription type driving connectivity and data growth. However, due to robust 5G adoption, 4G subscriptions are forecast to decline from 740 million in 2023 to 410 million by 2029.
Nitin Bansal, Managing Director, Ericsson India, said: “The rapid rollout and adoption of 5G in India underscores the country’s pivotal role in the global telecoms industry. Our extensive mid-band deployment and significant increase in data consumption reflect the country’s robust digital infrastructure and growing demand for enhanced connectivity. As we continue to innovate and expand our 5G capabilities, we remain focused on delivering exceptional customer experiences and driving digital transformation across India.”
More details, along with Ericsson’s latest mobile industry forecasts, regional breakdowns and customer examples, can be found in the June 2024 Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) Mobility Report.
Read the full Ericsson Mobility Report June 2024 at this link.
Since its launch in 2011, the Ericsson Mobility Report, based on unique insights into Ericsson and its partners’ networks, has become the industry’s leading reference for network data, performance, statistics and forecasts.
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