Ericsson forecasts that total mobile data traffic will triple by the end of 2029, and 5G will account for 25% of mobile data traffic this year, according to the November 2023 edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report. The growth is attributed to several factors including improved device capabilities, more data-intensive content and improvements in network performance.
(Source: Ericsson)
There is a big focus on 5G, especially 5G mid-band, thanks to its high capacity with good coverage. Ericsson reports that global 5G mid-band population coverage is now more than 40%, up from 30% in 2022, driven by large mid-band deployments in India, and several mid-band deployments in Europe. The report also finds that 50% of all service providers who offer fixed wireless access (FWA) offer the service over 5G.
The report estimates that there will be 610 million new 5G subscriptions in 2023, up 63% from 2022. This translates into a global total of 1.6 billion, about 100 million more than previously predicted, Ericsson said. The most common early consumer use cases for 5G include enhanced mobile broadband, fixed wireless access, gaming and AR/VR/-based services.
The 25th edition of the report also finds that 5G subscriptions in North America continue to be strong and by the end of 2023, it will have the highest 5G subscription penetration globally at 61%. Growth in India also is strong with 5G penetration topping 11%, only fourteen months after its commercial launch.
Global 5G subscriptions are expected to increase by more than 330%, reaching 1.6 billion from 5.3 billion, over the forecast years of 2023 to 2029. 5G coverage will reach more than 45% of the global population by the end of 2023 and 85% by the end of 2029, with North America and the Gulf Cooperation Council with the highest regional 5G penetration rates of 92% by the end of 2029.
The report also covers wireless connectivity for the manufacturing industry, cellular IoT connections, RedCap 5G NR for broadband IoT and indoor connectivity. It includes case studies that look at large-scale 5G SA deployment in India, indoor connectivity and deployments, and 5G-enabled gigafactories and green steel plants.
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