The number of global 5G subscribers should hit one billion by year-end, with projections at 5 billion by the end of 2028. According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, countries comprising The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will contribute to this number with growth estimates at an average annual rate of 30 percent. By 2028, the GCC, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, will account for 86 percent of total 5G connections.
“As communication service providers explore diverse service offerings, 5G is anticipated to be the segment with the fastest growth,” said Nicolas Blixell, Vice President and Head of Gulf Council Countries at Ericsson Middle East and Africa. “The demand for and growth of Fixed Wireless Access is also exceeding our expectations, as depicted by the latest Ericsson Mobility Report. It is worth noting that we have observed communication service providers in the region increasingly building on B2B opportunities as well.”
Arabian-based news source Zawya reported that if the 5G subscriber count reaches one billion in a few weeks, 5G will become the fastest-scaling mobile connectivity generation. The latest generation of “G” will have reached one billion subscribers two years faster than its predecessor (4G).
The Ericsson Mobility Report also provided statistics on overall mobile subscriptions, expected to top 8.4 billion in 2022 and 9.2 billion by the end of 2028, with smartphone users leading the charge. The report also forecasts global fixed wireless access connections to grow for homes and businesses, especially in unserved or underserved areas. FWA is forecast to grow 19 percent year-on-year through 2022-28 and top 300 million connections by the end of 2028.
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