5G Connections to Hit 1.6 Billion by Dec 2023 – GSMA

…As 261 Telecom Operators in 101 Countries Launched Commercial 5G Services

… Connections to Reach 5.5 Billion by 2030

In a bid to create a smarter, safer, and more sustainable future, a new report by GSMA Intelligence has predicted 5G connections will rise to 1.6 billion by the end of 2023.

According to GSMA, 5G connections already surpassed 1 billion by the end of 2022, and the global number of 5G connections will soar to 5.5 billion while constituting 51 percent of all mobile connections.

The fifth generation network which promises to deliver faster connectivity speeds, up to 100 times faster than 4G, ultra-low latency and greater bandwidth, is advancing societies, transforming industries and dramatically enhancing day-to-day experiences.

The report also revealed that as of January 2024, 261 operators in 101 countries had launched commercial 5G services, and more than 90 operators from 64 markets have committed to rollouts.

Of the 261 commercial 5G services available, 47 are provided by 5G Standalone (SA) networks, with a further 89 planned deployments near-term that will take advantage of network slicing, ultra-reliable low-latency communications support and the simplified 5G SA network architecture.

The report indicated that the growth of available 5G SA networks, and improved support for private & dedicated networks, would support a massive number of connected devices and help to realise the global IoT vision for the enterprise.

GSMAi data shows the enterprise segment now counts 10.7 billion IoT connections (versus 10.5 billion consumer connections).

This momentum, according to the research firm, is expected to continue, with enterprise connections more than doubling to 38.5 billion by 2030 and smart buildings and smart manufacturing accounting for 34 percent and 16 percent of total enterprise connections respectively.

The report said over half of operators expect to begin deploying 5G-Advanced within a year after commercial availability of 5G-Advanced solutions, driven by priority use cases such as 5G multicast services and low-cost IoT support.

The Head of GSMAi, Peter Jarich said “The early success of 5G was driven by enhanced mobile broadband (EMBB) and EMBB-related network traffic requirements. Yet, while consumer requirements will continue their trajectory, we’re now seeing use cases beyond that.

“Opportunities are now appearing in areas including API monetisation and 5G RedCap for enterprise IoT – all supported by 5G-Advanced and 5G SA networks. 5G SA brings home 5G’s early promise, particularly where slicing, low-latency and massive IoT capabilities tied to enterprise service needs can be met. 5G-Advanced will only extend that further.”

GSMAi predicts a fourfold rise in mobile data traffic between now and 2030 with expansions in 5G coverage and capacity playing a prominent role, showcasing the importance of continued infrastructure investments.

The report foresees that monthly global mobile data traffic per connection will grow from 12.8 GB in 2023 to 47.9 GB in 2030.

In terms of the increasing use of Generative AI, 56% of operators are currently testing applications which will also likely fuel this growth.

This will be driven by applications including the use of GenAI-enabled chatbots for customer service efforts or the continued growth of AI-generated video and music content, the report stated.

“New use cases will deliver new revenue streams for operators – which in turn brings a new focus to billing for 5G services. As more 5G SA networks become available, a new standard for billing was required to support the rollout of advanced network services and the flexible billing process that 5G SA cores offer.”