BELLEVUE, Wash.—The 5G industry continues to see strong growth according to new data from 5G Americas and Omdia that shows 185 million 5G connections were added in Q1 2024, pushing the global total to nearly two billion.
5G Americas and Omdia project that 5G connections will hit 7.7 billion by 2028.
“5G keeps accelerating as the increasing number of operators offering the technology continue to expand the population coverage of their networks in urban and suburban areas. While 4G continue its expanding presence in rural and remote areas helping governments fulfill their national connectivity goals,” said Jose Otero, vice president of Latin America and the Caribbean for 5G Americas, an industry trade group.
“The wireless technology sector continues to demonstrate its strength and significance through rapid adoption and sustained robust growth globally,” added Chris Pearson, president of 5G Americas. “North America remains at the forefront of 5G implementation.”
The new data shows that North America leads the charge in 5G adoption, with 5G connections in the region comprising 32% of all wireless cellular connections. Notably, the region experienced healthy growth in the first quarter, adding 22 million new connections to operator networks. In the first quarter of 2024, North American 5G connections totaled 220 million.
Last quarter, Latin America also witnessed solid growth in 4G LTE and 5G connections, adding eight million new LTE connections for a total of 591 million across the region, the researchers said. Additionally, the region continues to embrace the 5G revolution with nine million new 5G connections added to reach a total of 48 million 5G connections. 4G LTE subscriptions continue to remain strong throughout the region, even as the availability of 5G handsets and spectrum continue to grow.
Looking ahead, Omdia forecasts paint a picture of the telecommunications landscape we can expect to see throughout this decade. Global 5G connections are projected to reach 7.7 billion by 2028, with North America forecast to boast an impressive 700 million 5G connections by the same year.
“North America is swiftly moving to a region of essentially only LTE and 5G, with most operators having closed their legacy networks already,” explained Omdia principal analyst Kristin Paulin. “On top of that, vast 5G coverage and devices at a range of price points helps drive 5G adoption. IoT is also expected to have more of a role in driving 5G adoption later in the forecast.”
The researchers added that the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem will continue to remain a fundamental component of the digital revolution. Currently, global IoT subscriptions stand at 3.3 billion, complemented by 6.7 billion smartphone subscriptions. Forecasts suggest that IoT subscriptions will reach 5 billion, while smartphone subscriptions will surge to 8 billion by 2028, highlighting the evolving nature of connectivity and the interconnectedness of our digital world.
Globally, the number of deployed 5G networks have exceeded the pace of 4G LTE network deployments at the equivalent time in the technology cycle, the study also found. There are nearly as many 5G North American deployments as 4G LTE networks. Currently, there are 316 commercial 5G networks worldwide, a number that is expected to grow alongside continued significant investments in 5G infrastructure worldwide. Visit www.5GAmericas.org for more information, statistical charts, and a list of LTE and 5G deployments by operator and region.
