Ericsson Mobility Report June 2025
5G subscriptions are growing apace, accounting for over one-quarter of total mobile subscriptions at the end of 2024. 5G mid-band population coverage continues to grow, though it varies between global regions, only recently passing 50 percent coverage in Europe. 5G mid-band is ideal for providing both capacity and coverage, and therefore enhancing user experience. Mobile network data traffic continues to grow, but with a declining year-on-year growth rate, resulting in a forecast CAGR of 17 percent through 2030. As 5G evolves, service providers are increasingly exploring innovative use cases and new monetization opportunities by offering differentiated connectivity services.
5G to account for one-third of mobile subscriptions in 2025
During the first quarter of 2025, 145 million 5G subscriptions were added, bringing the total to just above 2.4 billion.
5G subscription uptake continues apace and is expected to reach close to 2.9 billion at the end of 2025, accounting for one-third of all mobile subscriptions at that time. The number of 4G subscriptions continues to decline as subscribers migrate to 5G.
4G declined by 55 million during the first quarter of 2025, bringing the total to just below 4.9 billion. 3G subscriptions declined by 19 million during the quarter, while 2G subscriptions dropped by 30 million. 2G and 3G network sunsetting continues around the world. The phasing out of 3G networks is anticipated to happen more quickly than that of 2G in the coming years, but the timeline for this transition varies based on country and service provider.
At the end of 2024, the number of 5G subscriptions reached 2.3 billion globally, equaling a penetration of around 27 percent. The highest 5G subscriptions penetration was in North America at 71 percent, followed by North East Asia at 52 percent, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries at 45 percent and Western Europe at 41 percent. 5G is anticipated to overtake 4G as the dominant mobile access technology by subscription in 2027, nine years after launch.
More than 340 service providers have now launched commercial 5G services, and around 70 have deployed or launched 5G standalone (SA).
Ericsson Mobility Report June 2025
WeChat: GSA Express
© Ericsson 2025
