5G subscriptions to hit 5 billion in 2028: report

5G use is growing worldwide, Ericsson’s November Mobility report reveals.

By the end of the year, there will be an estimated 1 billion 5G subscriptions worldwide through 228 service providers, led by North America and North East Asia. North America is expected to have 141 million 5G subscriptions by year’s end.

More 5G capable devices are expected to enter the market in 2023, and the average data consumption is estimated to exceed 19GB per month. An earlier survey from Ericsson found many Canadians are on 5G but have a 4G device.

People are subscribing to 5G faster than 4G, and the network is expected to hit 1 billion two years faster than 4G. The availability of devices, prices lowering faster than 4G, and China’s deployment of 5G has played a role.

4G subscriptions are also growing, with a 41 million increase during Q3 2022, hitting 5 billion. Ericsson estimates subscriptions will peak at 5.2 billion by the end of 2022.

Ericsson estimates 5G subscriptions will grow to 5 billion by 2028. North America will lead with 5G penetration at 91 percent, and its residents are estimated to use 55GB of mobile data a month.

Of this, an estimated 4 million Canadians will upgrade to 5G in the next 12-15 months.

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Source: Ericsson