With the launch of commercial 5G services in four additional countries — Cyprus, Peru, Russia and Uzbekistan — well over a third of the world’s countries now have at least one live 5G network. However, the quality and speed of connectivity can vary significantly from region to region depending on available spectrum.
The number of 5G networks increased from three in South Korea in February 2019 to 165 networks in over 65 countries worldwide, according to GSMA.
By the end of 2025, 5G will account for just over a fifth of total mobile connections, and more than two in five people around the world will live within reach of a 5G network.
In 2021, 5G networks have been launched for the first time in Indonesia, Kenya, and just this month, Tajikistan.
Though 4G has significant headroom for growth; 4G is expected to peak at just under 60 percent by 2023 as 5G begins to gain traction in new markets. In leading 5G markets such as China, South Korea, and the US, 4G has peaked and, in some cases, begun to decline, GSMA said.