Study: 5G mobile is growing faster than expected in Western Europe

The use of fifth generation mobile communication (5G) in Western Europe is gaining momentum faster than expected. By the end of 2022, the number of 5G subscriptions in Western Europe had grown to 69 million, according to the Ericsson Mobility Report released on Wednesday.

This corresponds to a market share of 13 percent, according to the report published in Stockholm. The latest report from November 2022 assumed a share of only 11 percent or 63 million 5G contracts for Western Europe.

In international comparison, however, Western Europe still lags far behind other regions of the world. The current leaders in local 5G market share are North America (41 percent of all mobile phone contracts are 5G contracts), Northeast Asia (30 percent), and the Gulf Cooperation Council region (18 percent).

However, in the medium and long term, Ericsson experts expect the 5G market in Western Europe to develop more dynamically than in other regions. By the end of this year, 143 million contracts are expected to have been signed in Western Europe and market penetration will reach 88 percent by the end of 2028. At the same time, Ericsson expects third generation mobile networks (UMTS) to be shut down to make way for the scarce radio frequencies for 4G and 5G.

Internet access for large crowds

The fifth generation of mobile communication (5G) offers significantly higher data transmission speeds than the previous UMTS (3G) and LTE (4G) standards. In addition, the delay time (latency) is lower, so that 5G can also be used for real-time applications such as remote control of a machine or telemedicine applications. 5G technology is also better suited than 3G or 4G to bring masses online, such as the visitors in a large football stadium.

In a global comparison, 5G usage is currently increasing significantly, especially in India. The number of 5G subscriptions in India will reach around ten million by the end of 2022. By the end of 2028, they will account for an estimated 57 percent of the country’s mobile subscriptions, making the country the fastest growing 5G region in the world. (aeg/sda/dpa)