Global 5G Subscription to Cross 190 Million by 2020 End: Ericsson

The global number of 5G subscriptions will surpass 190 million by the end of 2020 and 2.8 billion by the end of 2025, according to a forecast by Swedish telecom gear maker Ericsson.

In India, 5G will represent around 18 per cent of mobile subscriptions at the end of 2025, according to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report.

The report said that the number of smartphone subscriptions in India increased to 620 million in 2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nine per cent, reaching one billion by 2025.

Around 410 million additional smartphone users are expected in India by 2025.

In India, 4G LTE subscriptions are forecast to increase from 550 million in 2019 to 820 million in 2025, increasing at a CAGR of seven per cent.

"It is key to invest in 4G in India, to excel in 5G. Here, private networks represent a very important first step and fundamental to building a momentum in serving a wide array of 5G-enabled use cases," Nitin Bansal, Head of Network Solutions, South east Asia, Oceania and India, said in a statement.

"Mobile technology is an unmatched connectivity foundation for the digital transformation of any industry, and any product, anywhere in the world."

Mobile broadband technologies accounted for 58 per cent of mobile subscriptions in India in 2019, and this figure is predicted to reach 82 per cent by 2025.

The total number of mobile broadband subscriptions is set to exceed one billion by 2025, according to the forecast.