GSMA: 5G Connections to Soar Past One Billion in 2022

By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor

In the fastest generational rollout in wireless history, the number of 5G connections will pass the 1 billion mark in 2022, and then double to 2 billion by 2025, according to The Mobile Economy Report 2022 from the GSMA. By the end of 2025, 5G will account for over a fifth of total mobile connections, and more than two in five people globally will live within reach of a 5G network. "In addition, the launch of 5G services in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa over the last year means that the technology is now available in every region of the world, so we are set to see more growth and more transformation for services," said Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer, GSMA, announced at MWC Barcelona 2022. Compared to 3G and 4G, 18 months after its launch, 5G accounted for more than 5.5 percent of mobile connections – neither 3G nor 4G exceeded 2.2 percent penetration at the same time. Today, nearly 200 live networks provide 5G in 70 countries, including 68 operators providing 5G Fixed Wireless Access services and 23 5G Standalone services.  Supporting the future growth of 5G, early network capability initiatives are creating new consumer and enterprise use cases across the 5G Era, increasing use of multiple sub-3GHz spectrum bands, 5G mmWave, 5G Advanced, and Private Networks.