Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

5G Momentum Continues with 1.6 Billion Connections Worldwide, Rising to 5.5 Billion by 2030, According to GSMA Intelligence

28/02/2024

Industry opportunities driven by developments in 5G Standalone, 5G-Advanced, enterprise IoT and AI, GSMA Open Gateway and new revenue realisation through the BCE standard

28 February 2024, Barcelona: New figures from GSMA Intelligence (GSMAi) show 5G connections are expected to represent over half (51%) of mobile connections by 2029, rising to 56% by the end of the decade - making 5G the dominant connectivity technology. 5G has been the fastest mobile generation rollout to date, surpassing one billion connections by the end of 2022, rising to 1.6 billion connections at the end of 2023 and 5.5 billion by 2030.

As of January 2024, 261 operators in 101 countries had launched commercial 5G services, and more than 90 operators from 64 markets have committed to rollouts. Of the 261 commercial 5G services available, 47 are provided by 5G Standalone (SA) networks, with a further 89 planned deployments near-term that will take advantage of network slicing, ultra-reliable low-latency communications support and the simplified 5G SA network architecture.

The growth of available 5G SA networks, and improved support for private & dedicated networks, will support a massive number of connected devices and help to realise the global IoT vision for the enterprise. GSMAi data shows the enterprise segment now counts 10.7 billion IoT connections (versus 10.5 billion consumer connections) and this momentum is expected to continue, with enterprise connections more than doubling to 38.5 billion by 2030 and smart buildings and smart manufacturing accounting for 34% and 16% of total enterprise connections respectively.

Beyond 5G SA, the availability of 5G-Advanced with 3GPP Release 18 will be another key 5G milestone in IoT delivery, providing the catalyst for new 5G investment throughout 2024 and into 2025. GSMAi data shows over half of operators expect to begin deploying 5G-Advanced within a year after commercial availability of 5G-Advanced solutions, driven by priority use cases such as 5G multicast services and low-cost IoT support.

GSMAi predicts a fourfold rise in mobile data traffic between now and 2030 with expansions in 5G coverage and capacity playing a prominent role, showcasing the importance of continued infrastructure investments. It is predicted that monthly global mobile data traffic per connection will grow from 12.8 GB in 2023 to 47.9 GB in 2030.

The increasing use of Generative AI (GenAI) - 56% of operators are currently testing applications - will also likely fuel this growth. This will be driven by applications including the use of GenAI-enabled chatbots for customer service efforts or the continued growth of AI-generated video and music content.

Peter Jarich, Head of GSMAi, said: The early success of 5G was driven by enhanced mobile broadband (EMBB) and EMBB-related network traffic requirements. Yet, while consumer requirements will continue their trajectory, we're now seeing use cases beyond that. Opportunities are now appearing in areas including API monetisation and 5G RedCap for enterprise IoT - all supported by 5G-Advanced and 5G SA networks. 5G SA brings home 5G's early promise, particularly where slicing, low-latency and massive IoT capabilities tied to enterprise service needs can be met. 5G-Advanced will only extend that further.

Revenue realisation

New use cases will deliver new revenue streams for operators - which in turn brings a new focus to billing for 5G services. As more 5G SA networks become available, a new standard for billing was required to support the rollout of advanced network services and the flexible billing process that 5G SA cores offer.

The GSMA worked with its members, including AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, Swisscom and Vodafone, to develop and launch a new Billing and Charging Evolution (BCE) standard to replace Transferred Account Procedures (TAP). The BCE Standard represents a simplified charging model and will be a requirement for operators looking to implement 5G SA networks and deliver value from wholesale roaming settlement in 5G, LTE and operational efficiency of IoT.

Commercialising network APIs

Network API exposure is offering operators another route to maximise returns on their 5G investments and generate revenue beyond the traditional approach of selling connectivity services. GSMA Open Gateway is now empowering operators to harness the full potential of new capabilities built into 5G networks. In the 12 months since launching, 47 mobile operator groups - representing 239 mobile networks and 65% of global connections - have now committed to exposing their network APIs via CAMARA.

Working with technology partners including AWS, Infobip, Microsoft, Nokia and Vonage; 94 APIs are now commercially available to enterprise developers worldwide.

- ENDS -

Notes to Editors

GSMA Intelligence @ MWC Barcelona 2024

Find out more about GSMA Intelligence at the GSMA Pavilion in Hall 4 or visit GSMAIntelligence.com.

Join us at The 5G Future Summit at MWC Barcelona 2024

The 5G Futures Summit at MWC Barcelona 2024 invites attendees to learn how 5G is shaping the future of mobile operators' services and the broader business landscape. Taking place on Day 3, the Summit will consist of three sessions exploring the key themes powering the 5G era in 2024 and beyond. Topics covered will include 5G monetisation, 5G SA and 5G-Advanced, and the role of edge computing and private networks in unlocking new revenue streams.

Speakers will represent organisations including Chenosis, Cisco, Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat by e&, Huawei, Microsoft, Nokia, Qualcomm, Telef nica, TIM, Verizon and Vonage.

About GSMA Intelligence

GSMA Intelligence is the definitive source of global mobile operator data, analysis and forecasts, and publisher of authoritative industry reports and research. Our data covers every operator group, network and MVNO in every country worldw
LINK: https://www.gsma.com/newsroom/press-release/5g-momentum-continues-with...
See more stories from gsma

Europe Stories

09/11/2025

Dalet Unveils Agentic AI Media Workflows at IBC2025

Dalet today announced a transformative leap forward for media operations: Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) that unifies the Dalet ecosystem under one natura...

06/10/2025

France Tlvisions Wins Prestigious 2025 EBU Technology & Innovation Award in Groundbreaking Collaboration with Dalet

France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...

12/09/2025

Spotify's The Drop Weekly' Brings You the Week in New Releases, Straight From Our Editors

For fans, we know how important it is to stay plugged into music culture and dis...

12/09/2025

Agama and Consult Red announce RDK Accelerator integration

Link ping, Sweden and Shipley, United Kingdom, September 12, 2025 - Agama, the expert in video observability and analytics for service quality and customer expe...

12/09/2025

Granville opens up one last time for U&GOLD in Open All Hours: Inside Out

Feature-length retrospective from Studio Crook to air in 2026 Sir David Jason returns to the nation's favourite comedy channel, U&GOLD, for Open All Hours:...

12/09/2025

Bob Geldof to receive Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sky Arts Awards 2025

Friday 12 September 2025 The Boomtown Rats, Nyah Grace, Soweto Kinch, Royal Ballet and Madness also announced to perform at the ceremony on Tuesday Sky today ...

12/09/2025

Riedel Unveils Ultra-Light Bolero Mini Wireless Intercom Beltpack

Wuppertal September 12, 2025 Riedel Unveils Ultra-Light Bolero Mini Wireless Intercom BeltpackAt IBC2025 in Amsterdam, Riedel Communications unveiled Bolero M...

12/09/2025

Riedel Communications Acquires hi human interface

Wuppertal September 12, 2025 Riedel Communications Acquires hi human interfaceRiedel Communications today announced the acquisition of hi human interface fro...

12/09/2025

What Is CORE+ Technologyand How Does It Elevate Church Sound?

CORE+ virtually removes distortion, setting a new standard for church sound and giving worship teams the clarity and confidence they need. Read the full artic...

12/09/2025

Margot Robbie, Colin Farrell, Mary Robinson and Conor Murray amongst guests on Late Late Show season opener

The Late Late Show is back with a bang after the summer break, and Patrick Kielt...

12/09/2025

Another jam-packed weekend of live, free-to-air Sport across RT

The World Athletics Championships, Ireland v France in the Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-final, the Irish Champions Festival, and two Sports Direct Men...

12/09/2025

Katie Hannon explores the shelves of Ireland's National Archives in new series

The Records Show starts Sunday at 6.30pm on RT One and RT Player. Katie Hanno...

11/09/2025

RADAR's 1,000-Artist Milestone: Rachel Chinouriri, Zimmer90, and More Celebrate With Spotify in Berlin

RADAR, Spotify's program for emerging talent, recently hit a major milestone...

11/09/2025

Smarter Video Analytics and Easier Operations with Agama 11

Link ping, Sweden, September 11, 2025 - Agama, the expert in video observability & analytics for service quality and customer experience, announced today the la...

11/09/2025

SES Space & Defense Awarded Sustainment Tactical Network Contract to Support U.S. Army

Under the USD 89.6 Million award, SES Space & Defense will provide global commer...

11/09/2025

Telekom Srbija Expands and Extends Partnership with SES

Leading Balkan DTH provider adds capacity to consolidate its m:Sat TV platform at 23.5 degrees East and serve more customers across the region Luxembourg, 11 S...

11/09/2025

UKTV's free streaming service U launches on Sky Q in the UK

UKTV's free streaming service U launches on Sky Q Free streaming service U has launched on Sky Q in the UK, UKTV and Sky confirm today, expanding the footp...

11/09/2025

Capturing Music in the Chaos of a Train Station

From the discreet 2061 lavaliers to 4099 and 4011 mics, the setup delivered clean, natural sound in one of the most challenging broadcast environments. Read th...

11/09/2025

Tiny but Mighty: A Review of the DPA 2061 Lavalier Mic

From rugged build quality to natural, detailed sound, the verdict is clear: big performance can come in a very small package. Read the full review here!...

11/09/2025

Tonight on Prime Time: Family of Liam Farrell seeking answers six years after his death

Tonight on Prime Time RT One and RT Player at 9:35pm Tonight RT Prime Time...

11/09/2025

RT Statement: 2026 Eurovision Song Contest

RT Statement: 2026 Eurovision Song Contest At the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in July, a number of EBU members raised concerns ...

10/09/2025

Lossless Listening Arrives on Spotify Premium With a Richer, More Detailed Listening Experience

Lossless on Spotify Premium is here. Lossless audio has been one of the most a...

10/09/2025

The Television Will Be Revolutionised

The Television Will Be Revolutionised Sep 10, 2025 Written by Sunit Kotecha, Director of Delivery and Operations, YouView 2025 marks a century since the f...

10/09/2025

First of Spains F110 frigates get future-ready with Rohde & Schwarz communications systems

First of Spains F110 frigates get future-ready with Rohde & Schwarz communicatio...

10/09/2025

Midco Taps Harmonic to Fuel Next-Generation Broadband Services

Harmonic's cOS Platform Supports DOCSIS and Fiber, Enabling Midco to Deliver Reliable Multi-Gigabit Connectivity to Subscribers SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 10,...

10/09/2025

Join RT at The Ploughing 2025

RT brings three days of live radio, live entertainment, live news, live weather, personal appearances, and more Join RT Radio 1: Morning Ireland, The Oliver ...

09/09/2025

RADAR's Global Impact: 1,000 Artists, Billions of Streams, and a World of Discovery

Since 2020, Spotify's RADAR program has been a launchpad for emerging talent...

09/09/2025

5 Years and 1,000 Artists Later: How Spotify RADAR Supports Emerging Talent on the Path to Global Stardom

In 2020, Spotify launched RADAR with a clear mission: to identify, nurture, and ...

09/09/2025

Spotify and TikTok Launch Big on BookTok' Pilot Hub for Audiobook Fans

If you're on BookTok, you know the drill. You scroll, you tap, and suddenly your To Be Read list is overflowing with trending must-reads. Not unlike Spoti...

09/09/2025

TED2025 Relies on Clear-Com and NETGEAR to Power Production Communications

eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......

09/09/2025

OSN Unlocks New Era of Targeted Video Streaming Monetization with Harmonic

Harmonic's VOS360 Ad SaaS Enables Personalized Ad Delivery and Seamless Integration with the Ad Tech Ecosystem SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 9, 2025 - Harmonic ...

09/09/2025

Clear Sound for Worship and Livestreams at St. Luke's

St. Luke's Episcopal Church in New Jersey needed audio that truly connects and they found the answer. Read the full case study here!...

09/09/2025

On the Subject of Sound: Kalle Hvidt Nielsen on Immersive Audio

From AI-driven sound design to adaptable systems and uncompromising audio quality, the discussion highlights how innovation is shaping the future of performance...

09/09/2025

Mic Size Doesn't Limit Sound: DPA at NAB Show 2025

The conversation covers DPA's natural, uncolored sound, how to choose the right mic for any application and the company's latest innovations including C...

09/09/2025

From CORE to CORE+: Advancing Miniature Mic Technology

From the origins of CORE to the latest CORE+ upgrade, the article explores how DPA minimizes distortion, expands dynamic range and ensures clarity at every SPL ...

09/09/2025

Dolby Revolutionizes Entertainment on Four Wheels: 30 Car Brands Embrace Immersive Audio Experiences

September 9 2025, 07:22 (PDT) Dolby Revolutionizes Entertainment on Four Wheels...

09/09/2025

Autumn Schedule on RT Raidi na Gaeltachta

The Autumn Schedule has begun on RT Raidi na Gaeltachta, with a feast of music, entertainment, news and current affairs programmes as well as an interesting s...

08/09/2025

20 new apprentices start vocational training at SGL Carbon in Germany and Austria

The company continues to focus on its own training programs. Recently, 20 new ap...

08/09/2025

Unlock Smarter Subtitle Workflows with Accurate.Video LTA + Cantemo

How an MVP-first approach helps you move faster, stay flexible, and deliver smarter. Too often, media technology projects aim to solve everything at once ma...

08/09/2025

Fox Corporation Announces Resolution of Murdoch Family Trust Matter

Fox Corporation Announces Resolution of Murdoch Family Trust Matter New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA - September 8, 2025 - Fox Corporation ( FOX or the Comp...

08/09/2025

Fox Corporation Announces Secondary Offering of Class B Common Stock

Fox Corporation Announces Secondary Offering of Class B Common Stock New York, NY, and Los Angeles, CA - September 8, 2025 - Fox Corporation ( FOX or the Co...

08/09/2025

Fox Corporation Announces Pricing of Secondary Offering of Class B Common Stock

Fox Corporation Announces Pricing of Secondary Offering of Class B Common Stock New York, NY, and Los Angeles, CA, September 8, 2025 Fox Corporation ( FOX ...

08/09/2025

PantoneLIVE Adds New Color Libraries to Meet Growing Demand for Two-Piece Aluminum Beverage Can Packaging

PantoneLIVE Adds New Color Libraries to Meet Growing Demand for Two-Piece Alumin...

08/09/2025

Harmonic Introduces Central Management System to Power Next-Gen Hybrid Streaming

Advanced Workflow Management Simplifies Streaming Operations and Lowers Costs SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sept. 8, 2025 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced an adva...

05/09/2025

7 Ways Spotify's New User Controls Put You in Charge of Your Listening

Your listening habits are as unique as you are-and this year, Spotify has introduced a wave of new features to help you personalize your experience. From playli...

05/09/2025

Rohde & Schwarz UK awarded Silver Award under Defence Employer Recognition Scheme

Rohde & Schwarz UK awarded Silver Award under Defence Employer Recognition Schem...

05/09/2025

This weekend sees another feast of free-to-air Sport across RT

This weekend sees another feast in store for all sport fans as RT airs a jam-packed schedule of live, free-to-air sport. The Amgen Irish Open continues all we...

04/09/2025

Experience true spectrum dominance in all domains with Rohde & Schwarz at DSEI 2025

Experience true spectrum dominance in all domains with Rohde & Schwarz at DSEI 2...

04/09/2025

Rohde & Schwarz to Host Innovation Theatre at IBC 2025

Rohde & Schwarz to Host Innovation Theatre at IBC 2025 Tech Talks, Business Talks, and Live Experience Sessions spotlight the future of broadcast Join the ...