Global 5G users will reach 3.5 billion by 2026

Globally, more than 1 billion people, or 15% of the world's population, are expected to live in areas where 5G coverage has been rolled out, according to the Ericsson Mobility Report 2020, released on Monday.

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"By 2026, 60% of the world's population will have access to 5G coverage, with 5G subscriptions expected to reach 3.5 billion. In India, 5G subscriptions will exceed 350 million, accounting for 27% of all mobile subscriptions in 2026," the report said. Bansal said he expects India to see its first 5G connection in 2021 based on the reported timeline for spectrum auctions for 5G services.

According to the report, India has the highest average monthly traffic per smartphone user at 15.7 GB per month.

"The low affordability of mobile broadband services, low-cost smartphones and the increase in time people spend online have led to growth in monthly usage in India. As a result, total traffic in India is expected to quadruple to reach 35EB per month by 2026," said Patrik Cerwall, report editor and head of strategic market insights at Ericsson Mobile Communications.

The report said LTE (4G) remains the dominant technology in India in 2020, accounting for 63% of mobile subscriptions, with 3G expected to be phased out by 2026. "In regional India, LTE subscriptions are expected to increase from 710 million in 2020 to 820 million in 2026, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2%," the report said.

The report added that mobile broadband technology will account for 67% of mobile subscriptions in 2020, and this figure is expected to reach 91% by 2026. The total number of mobile broadband subscriptions will be close to 1.2 billion by 2026.

According to the annual report, the number of smartphone users in India has increased to 760 million by 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7% to reach nearly 1.2 billion by 2026.

After years of anticipation, 5G networks are now being put into use around the world. Consumer interest in 5G is high. People expect this new technology to provide a better experience with traditional voice and data services, as well as completely new services in areas such as entertainment, gaming, and education. Given the high demand, 5G has great potential for service providers to create and capture new value in consumer businesses.