The GSMA recently released its Mobile Economy China 2024 report, predicting that 5G connections would hit 1 billion by the end of the year, making 5G the dominant mobile technology in the country. The current tally of Chinese mobile connections is over 800 million.
“As China surpasses 1 billion 5G connections this year, we expect to see further investment and potential in evolutions such as 5G-Advanced, 5G New Calling and 5G RedCap to improve user experience and unlock new revenue streams for operators,” said Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA.
The study found that there are currently 1.28 billion unique mobile subscribers in China, an 88 percent penetration rate. In 2023, 5G contributed to almost 8 million jobs, $110 billion annually through taxation, and was responsible for operator revenues of $225 billion.
By 2030, 5G will contribute $260 billion to China’s GDP, with the country’s connections accounting for nearly a third of the total global GDP. This prediction would put China at an almost 90 percent adoption rate, making it a worldwide leader. China is also looking ahead to 6G, having earmarked spectrum via legislation in June 2023.
According to the organization, major Chinese operators are committed to the GSMA Open Gateway Initiative. Three key players — China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom — announced the commercial launch of the One Time Password API as part of the project. In addition, CITIC Telecom, Huawei, and ZTE have recently committed to the GSMA Open Gateway initiative. By the end of the decade, the study predicts the annual economic contribution from China’s mobile sector will exceed $1 trillion.
Reader Interactions