Bellevue, Washington—New data from 5G Americas and Omdia shows the 5G industry continues to see strong growth, with 185 million 5G connections added in the first quarter of 2024, bringing the total number of connections worldwide to nearly 2 billion.
5G Americas and Omdia predict that 5G connections will reach 7.7 billion by 2028.
“5G continues to accelerate as an increasing number of operators offering the technology continue to expand network coverage to urban and suburban populations, while 4G continues to expand its presence in rural and remote areas, helping governments achieve their national connectivity goals,” said José Otero, vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean at industry group 5G Americas.
“The wireless technology sector continues to demonstrate its strength and importance with rapid adoption and strong growth globally,” added Chris Pearson, president of 5G Americas. “North America continues to be at the forefront of 5G deployment.”
New data shows that North America is leading the way in 5G adoption, with 5G connections in the region accounting for 32% of all wireless cellular connections. Notably, the region saw healthy growth in Q1, adding 22 million new connections to operator networks, bringing the total number of 5G connections in North America to 220 million in Q1 2024.
According to the researchers, Latin America also saw strong growth in 4G LTE and 5G connections last quarter, with LTE connections increasing by 8 million for a total of 591 million across the region. Additionally, the region is seeing the 5G revolution advance, with 5G connections increasing by 9 million for a total of 48 million. Despite the ever-expanding availability of 5G devices and spectrum, 4G LTE subscriber numbers remain strong across the region.
Looking ahead, Omdia forecasts paint a picture of where the communications industry is expected to be this decade: Global 5G connections are expected to reach 7.7 billion by 2028, with North America expected to hit 700 million 5G connections by the same year.
“North America is rapidly transitioning to an LTE and 5G-only region, with most operators already shutting down their legacy networks,” explains Christine Poulin, principal analyst at Omdia. “Furthermore, widespread 5G coverage and devices across a range of price points are stimulating 5G adoption. In the second half of the forecast, IoT is also expected to play a larger role in driving 5G adoption.”
The researchers added that the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem will remain a fundamental building block of the digital revolution. Currently, there are 3.3 billion global IoT subscriptions and 6.7 billion smartphone subscriptions. Forecasts suggest that IoT subscriptions will reach 5 billion and smartphone subscriptions will soar to 8 billion by 2028, highlighting the evolution of connectivity and the interconnectedness of the digital world.
The study also found that globally, the number of 5G network deployments is outpacing the deployment of 4G LTE networks at the same time in the technology cycle. The number of 5G deployments in North America is roughly equal to that of 4G LTE networks. There are currently 316 commercial 5G networks worldwide, and that number is expected to grow with continued heavy investment in 5G infrastructure around the world. From 5GAmericas.org For more detailed information, statistical charts, and a list of LTE and 5G deployments by carrier and region, please click here.
