5G connections are forecast to reach 1.1 billion by 2025, accounting for approximately one in eight mobile connections worldwide by this time, a new study released by the GSMA stated.

Having surveyed 750 operator CEOs and other industry stakeholders, the GSMA said 5G networks will be widely deployed by the start of 2020.

The study, The 5G Era: Age of Boundless Connectivity and Intelligent Automation, identifies potential use cases for 5G including enhanced mobile broadband, massive IoT and critical communications. The technology’s high-speed and low latency capabilities will be the primary drivers to justify the required investment and promote the roll-out of 5G networks.

“The 5G era will usher in innovations that enable richer, smarter and more convenient living and working, making possible a huge array of new applications, everything from sensor-driven smart parking to holographic conference calls,” said Mats Granryd, director general of the GSMA.

“5G is an opportunity to create an agile, purpose-built network tailored to the different needs of citizens and the economy. But it is vital that all stakeholders work together to ensure that 5G is successfully standardised, regulated and brought to market.”

However, Granryd cautioned new demands will be placed on the finite spectrum available. “We will need greater bandwidth to meet the speed and capacity requirements of an increasingly connected society. Operators must be prepared to meet the challenges of a network designed for people and machines, and governments and service providers must also be ready to meet the demands that lie ahead.”

“The success of 5G depends on the adoption of common global standards to ensure that all parties can begin using 5G as a platform for innovation as quickly as possible and at the lowest possible cost,” added the GSMA head.