Ericsson predicted North America will have the highest proportion of 5G subscriptions by the end of 2024, followed by Asia and Western Europe.

In its new Mobility Report, the company estimated there will be nearly 270 million 5G subscriptions in the region by the close of 2024, accounting for 63 per cent of all mobile subscriptions. The remaining 37 per cent will primarily be LTE connections.

The company predicted the proportion of 5G subscribers in North East Asia and Western Europe will stand at 47 per cent and 40 per cent respectively, with the three regions holding a sizeable lead over other global markets (see chart, above, click to enlarge).

Ericsson explained the regions will stretch ahead because “countries within these regions have developed economies, enabling a high adoption rate of information and communications technology”.

North America, in particular, will benefit from rapid commercialisation of 5G.

Swift uptake in South Korea also points to strong consumer demand for the technology: the nation is reportedly nearing one million 5G subscribers, a little over two months after operators launched the service.

The shift to 5G will come alongside a massive leap in data consumption by the end of 2024. North America is expected to see the largest increase, with usage skyrocketing from 7GB per smartphone/month to 39GB, followed by Western Europe, where usage will jump from 6.7GB to 32GB.