More than 1 billion users will have access to 5G coverage by 2020-end: Ericsson

In India, 5G subscriptions will surpass 350 million, accounting for 27 percent of all mobile subscriptions in 2026, according to the new Ericsson Mobility Report.

3.5 billion 5G subscriptions forecast by the end of 2026 - estimated to account for more than 50 percent of mobile data traffic at that time (Pixabay)

Ericsson on Monday released the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report. The new study estimates that four out of every ten mobile subscriptions in 2026 will be 5G. It further estimates that by the end of this year, more than 1 billion people, which is about 15% of the world's population will live in an area that has 5G coverage rolled out.

In 2026, 60% of the world's population will have access to 5G coverage, with 5G subscriptions forecast to reach 3.5 billion, the study added. Ericsson has also raised its year-end 2020 estimate for global 5G subscriptions to 220 million, as service providers continue to build out their networks.

In India, 5G will represent 27% of mobile subscription by the end of 2026, says the new Ericsson study. While 5G user base will be about 350 million subscriptions, LTE will continue to be the dominant technology in the country in 2026, accounting for 63% of mobile subscriptions.

According to the report, mobile broadband technologies accounted for 67% of mobile subscriptions in 2020, and this figure is predicted to reach 91% by 2026 when the total number of mobile broadband subscriptions is set to reach close to 1.2 billion.

“In the India region, the average monthly mobile data usage per smartphone continues to show robust growth, boosted by the rapid adoption of 4G and people working from home during COVID-19. The reliance of people on their mobile networks to stay connected as well as work from home during COVID-19 has contributed to the average traffic per smartphone user increasing from 13.5GB per month in 2019 to 15.7GB per month in 2020. The average traffic per smartphone is expected to further increase to around 37GB per month in 2026,” added the report.