Data: 5G connections doubling every year
September 22, 2022
The global uptake of wireless 5G networks is now doubling every year to reach 813 million connections by the end of the second quarter of 2022, according to data from research firm Omdia and trade organisation 5G Americas. 5G connections will reach 1.1 billion by the end of 2022.
“The progress of 5G continues throughout the Americas with more spectrum, coverage, and usage,” advises Chris Pearson, President of 5G Americas. “We are entering an era of innovation with an expanding 5G ecosystem that is learning how to take advantage of the technical capabilities of this great technology.”
The doubling of 5G global connections tracks with mobile data use, which is also doubling roughly every year, according to Ericsson. Most recent data from Omdia suggests 430 million global 5G connections were added from Q2 2021 to Q2 2022, representing a 1121.1 percent increase from 383 million to 813 million. Those figures represent 16 percent sequential quarterly growth from 703 million in Q1 2022 to 813million in Q2 2022. Global 5G connections are forecast to again accelerate in 2023, approaching 2 billion and reaching 5.9 billion by the end of 2027.
By region, North America had a total of 99 million 5G and 502 million LTE connections by the end of Q2 2022. This translates into an addition of 17 million 5G connections for the quarter – a gain of 20.7 percent over Q1 2022. Additionally, CTIA notes fast growth in 5G uptake in the United States, which now identifies 315 million Americans covered by 5G and one-third of American adults having an active 5G device. Overall, a total of 137 million 5G connections is projected to come from North America by the end of 2022.
In comparison, 4G LTE is expected to remain strong in Latin America and the Caribbean through the end of 2022. In Q2 2022, there were 540 million 4G LTE connections, representing 6.9 percent quarterly growth with the addition of 34.7 million new LTE subscriptions, a number expected to reach 541 million by year end. Latin America and the Caribbean is projected to have 22 million 5G connections by year end of 2022, and 398 million by 2027.
“5G deployment and adoption is progressing in Latin America,” reports Jose Otero, Vice President of Caribbean and Latin America for 5G Americas. “Governments will need to continue to work with the industry to streamline processes and provide more radio spectrum to operators in the region. Latin America is an industrial hub of global importance and 5G will provide economic and social benefits for all in the region”.
Overall, the number of 5G commercial networks globally has reached 233, according to data from TeleGeography and 5G Americas. That number is expected to reach 313 by the end of 2022 and 352 by the end of 2024, representing strong 5G network investment growth in many regions throughout the world.
The number of 5G and 4G LTE network deployments as of August 15th, 2022, are:
5G:
Global: 233
North America: 14
Caribbean and Latin America: 26
4G LTE:
Global: 699
North America: 18
Caribbean and Latin America: 131