5G gained momentum in 2020, but will it continue in 2021?

Telecoms.com periodically invites expert third parties to share their views on the industry’s most pressing issues. In this piece Francesca Greane, Marketing Manager, Content & Community for Informa Tech, discusses the evolving 5G ecosystem around the globe.

2020 was destined to be the year of 5G, with both telcos and enterprises alike expecting the journey to standalone 5G to be completed last year. Indeed, as reported by Telecoms.com,a 2020 study found that within 12-18 months, 27% of operators would deploy 5G SA and a further 10% would deploy it within 24 months

And it seems, despite a global pandemic and economic challenges, the fifth generation of wireless powered ahead at four times the speed of subscriber growth as 4G LTE, according to data provided by Omdia. Indeed, the world added 225 million 5G subscribers between Q3 2019 and Q3 2020, a feat which required 4G LTE four years to attain.

As of December 2020, there were 229 million 5G subscriptions globally, which represents an astonishing 66% increase over last quarter and is expected to reach 236 million globally by the end of 2020.

Paul Lambert, Principal Analyst at Omdia, commented: “The telecoms industry has been more successful than ever in agreeing extremely complex 5G technology standards, and then manufacturing network equipment and devices that enable service providers that want to get a head-start on 5G to launch.

“As activity shifts increasingly online, 5G, like previous technology generations, will both expand on and enhance the way people experience their connected digital lives. For specialist users, such as gamers, industries, and businesses, 5G also brings quicker response times, so that data-heavy experiences, services, and applications feel more vivid and immediate.”

But, will that momentum continue into 2021?

To help service providers realise the future of 5G, and to answer their business defining questions, Omdia and 5G World are conducting their annual Global 5G Insights Survey, which delves into critical topics including:

You can have your say on the key trends, opportunities and challenges for 5G around the globe by taking ten minutes to answer the survey now. As a thank you, all respondents will receive a free copy of the final report, which will provide the insight into the 5G ecosystems around the globe that operators today need to stay ahead of the curve. All respondents will also receive an exclusive 20% discount on a full-access ticket to join us at 5G World 2021 (21-23 September)

You can complete the survey by clicking HERE.