TV24 Desk: According to the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report, four out of every ten mobile subscriptions in 2026 will be 5G. The current 5G uptake in subscriptions and population coverage confirms the technology as deploying the fastest of any generation of mobile connectivity. The report estimates that by the end of 2020, more than 1 billion people – 15 percent of the world’s population – will live in an area with 5G coverage. 220 million global 5G subscriptions are also expected by the end of this year.
In 2026, 60 percent of the world’s population will have 5G coverage access, with 5G subscriptions forecast to reach 3.5 billion. In southeast Asia and Oceania, 5G is predicted to be the second most popular technology in 2026, only behind LTE, surpassing 380 million subscriptions and accounting for 32 percent of all mobile subscriptions.
In this region, total mobile data traffic continues to grow steadily, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33 percent for the forecast period. It is expected to reach 32EB per month in 2026, equivalent to 33GB per month per smartphone. Growth in mobile data consumption has translated into more diversified and generous data plans from mobile operators across different geographies.
The second half of this year has also seen several commercial 5G launches in South East Asia and Oceania, with live networks now in Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand. Upcoming spectrum auctions planned for 2021 in countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Malaysia will bring additional 5G deployments next year.
Abdus Salam, Head of Ericsson Bangladesh, states, “Even as 5G is being launched in different markets, momentum continues in the build-out of 4G (LTE) networks globally, including Bangladesh. Global 4G population coverage will be over 80 percent at the end of 2020 and is forecast to reach around 95 percent in 2026. 4G networks are also evolving to deliver increased network capacity and faster data speeds. The commercial introduction of 5G in Bangladesh will strengthen the Digital Bangladesh initiative and allow communication service providers and the ICT industry in Bangladesh to grow.”
The Ericsson Mobility Report highlights why 5G success will not be limited to coverage or subscription numbers alone. Its value will also be determined by new use cases and applications, the first of which have already started to emerge. Critical IoT will be introduced in 5G networks, and cloud gaming is another emerging application category.
According to the new Harnessing the 5G Consumer Potential report from Ericsson ConsumerLab, the 5G consumer market could be worth USD 31 trillion by 2030 globally, with communications service providers (CSPs) earning USD 3.7 trillion of that total – a figure that could increase further as new adjacent digital services opportunities arise.
In southeast Asia and Oceania, the report estimates that CSPs could earn USD 297 bn in 5G-enabled consumer revenues by 2030. 5G broadband services market will be worth nearly $229bn by 2030. 79% of the total service provider 5G digital services revenue, estimated at 7.5B USD by 2030, will be driven by enhanced video and HiFi music. 5G digital services include video, music, gaming, augmented/virtual reality, and consumer IoT services.