Global 5G subscriptions surpass 3 billion as industry shifts focus toward 6G
The number of 5G mobile subscriptions worldwide surpassed 3 billion in the first quarter of 2026, as mobile operators continue expanding next-generation network services, according to Ericsson's June 2026 Mobility Report, which covers the 2025–2031 period.
The report shows that 162 million new 5G subscriptions were added during the first quarter of 2026, pushing the global total above the 3 billion mark. Ericsson forecasts that the number of 5G subscriptions will more than double to 6.4 billion by the end of 2031, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.
To date, around 390 service providers have launched commercial 5G services, with more than 90 operators already offering 5G Standalone (5G SA) networks.
By 2031, 5G mobile penetration is expected to exceed 90 percent in Western Europe, North America, Northeast Asia, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
The report notes that commercial services based on 5G network slicing are expanding rapidly, allowing operators to provide guaranteed service quality for different applications and business customers. The number of commercial differentiated connectivity services increased from 65 in November 2025 to 84 in June 2026, signaling a transition from early adoption to mainstream commercialization.
Ericsson Chief Technology Officer Erik Ekudden said the industry is moving toward a future where distributed and autonomous AI agents embedded in devices, vehicles, and cities will be connected through 5G networks.
"We are moving from centralized AI models in data centers to distributed and autonomous AI agents embedded in our devices, vehicles, and cities, often connected through 5G. Mobile networks are becoming critical intelligent infrastructure capable of supporting diverse application needs," Ekudden said.
According to the report, 71 percent of service providers now offer 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services, up from 57 percent a year earlier, marking the strongest annual increase in the past four years. Speed-based pricing plans for FWA also continued to gain popularity, rising from 51 percent to 57 percent over the same period.
The strongest adoption of 5G FWA has been recorded in North America, the Nordic countries, GCC states, and parts of Asia, while growth remains slower in parts of Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia despite long-term potential.
The report also highlights changing user behavior, showing that mobile upload traffic is now growing faster than download traffic for most operators. Increased video calls, cloud storage, content sharing, and collaboration platforms are driving the trend.
Among the 55 operators analyzed by Ericsson, 43 recorded faster upload traffic growth than download traffic, while 17 operators saw upload traffic grow at least 1.5 times faster. Ericsson estimates that artificial intelligence could increase mobile upload traffic by three times or more by 2031 compared with 2025.
The report also indicates that the telecommunications industry is increasingly focusing on 6G while standardization work continues. The first commercial 6G services are expected to launch around 2030, with the first finalized technical specifications anticipated by late 2028 or early 2029.
Ericsson expects early 6G adoption to begin in the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, and GCC countries, similar to the rollout of 5G.
Commenting on the Turkish market, Ericsson Türkiye General Manager Mehmet Oğul said the country's ongoing 5G deployment is preparing network infrastructure for the AI era by providing greater upload capacity, lower latency, and improved reliability. He added that Ericsson's continued investment in research, development, and local talent will also support the development of AI-native 6G technologies.
Photo: Chat GPT
