GSMA reports have revealed that global 5G connections surpassed 1.5 billion by the end of 2023, making it the fastest-growing mobile broadband technology.
Achieved in four years, this milestone contrasts with the decade it took for 3G and 4G, while many low-middle-income countries still rely on older networks, highlighting access disparities.
In a significant breakthrough for telecommunications, the GSMA, the global authority on mobile networks, announced that by the end of 2023, global 5G connections surpassed 1.5 billion, making it the fastest-growing mobile broadband technology to date.
According to their report: “The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2024,” 5G reached this milestone in just four years, compared to a decade for 3G and over five years for 4G.
While analysts expect 5G to become the dominant global technology by the end of the decade, however, its prevalence in many low-middle-income countries (LMICs) may lag behind by 2030.
For instance, Nigeria, which launched its 5G network in 2022, currently has only 2.33 million 5G connections, representing just 1.04 per cent of its total mobile subscriptions.
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Moreover, the GSMA predicts that much of 5G’s growth will occur in developed nations, with over 100 countries yet to launch 5G networks as of 2023.
In LMICs, 5G penetration is expected to reach around 55 per cent by 2030.
5G offers considerable benefits, including average download speeds of 230 Mbps—more than five times faster than 4G—providing high-speed broadband access to underserved households.
Nevertheless, the GSMA warns that high deployment costs and the price of devices may limit its adoption.
Consequently, analysts project that 3G and 4G will account for over 60 per cent of mobile broadband connections in various regions by 2030.
