5G connections will surpass 1 billion in 2022 and 2 billion by 2025. By the end of 2025, 5G will account for over a fifth of total mobile connections, and more than two in five people will live within reach of a 5G network, according to The Mobile Economy Report 2022 from the GSMA.

There are nearly 200 live 5G networks in 70 countries, including 68 mobile network operators providing 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services and 23 delivering Stand Alone (SA) 5G services.

“5G momentum has been boosted by factors including innovative plans, video streaming services, rising 5G handset sales, and network coverage expansions,” said Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer, GSMA. “In addition, the launch of 5G services in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa over the last year means that the technology is now available in every region of the world.”

GSMA has launched The GSMA 5G Transformation Hub  to promote the value 5G delivers for operators, businesses, and governments. It already includes the following case studies:

Live Entertainment: Verizon is using 5G mmWave to deliver optimised fan experiences inside NFL stadiums across the US;

Infrastructure: Enabling 5G efficient drone inspection of bridges and major structures with Skydio;

Manufacturing: Making manufacturing more productive with intelligent 5G networked robotics with Thundercomm in China;

Transportation: South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) is entertaining commuters in Seoul with 4K TV on the move, delivered by 5G mmWave;

Construction: Supporting safe and efficient construction in Singapore with 5G from Singtel;

Smart cities: Motov’s use of 5G for monitoring the social costs of air pollution and traffic hazards;

Energy: Improving the performance of wind farm technology with 5G and Vayu AI.