5G Standalone and 5G Advanced are expected to be key focuses for communications service providers for the remainder of the decade as they deploy new capabilities to create offerings centered on value delivery rather than data volume. The analysis is included among a wealth of statistical network insights in the November 2024 edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report, which extends the forecast period until the end of 2030.
On global mobile data traffic, 5G networks are expected to carry about 80 percent of total mobile data traffic by the end of 2030 – compared to 34 percent by the end of 2024. Of the 350 million projected global FWA connections by the end of 2030, almost 80 percent are forecast to be over 5G. 5G subscriptions are predicted to reach around 680 million by the end of the forecast period. In Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, growth in the 5G subscriber base is driven by increased network coverage, greater awareness of 5G, the growing affordability of 5G devices and the continued focus by service providers on promotional plans.