The latest iteration of the Ericsson Mobility Report was released on November 30. This new report spotlights recent progress in 5G network deployments on a regional as well as global basis. And the report offers growth projections for fixed and wireless mobile services for the next five years.
In North America, 5G commercialization is moving at a rapid pace. Service providers have already launched commercial 5G services, focused on mobile broadband. The introduction of 5G smartphones supporting all three spectrum bands will make 2021 an eventful year for early 5G adopters. FWA [fixed wireless access] will play a key role in closing the digital divide where the pandemic has exposed large gaps for education, remote working and small businesses. By 2026, more than 340 million 5G subscriptions are anticipated in the region, accounting for 80 percent of mobile subscriptions.
Looking at mobile subscriptions in North America, the report found that 5% are for 5G services and 89% are for 4G LTE services. By 2026, it is expected that 5G services will comprise 80% of mobile subscriptions in North America and 4G will comprise the remaining 20%. Additionally, the report tracked growth in the regional percentage of North American service providers offering fixed wireless access. Provider offerings of fixed wireless increased from 70% in February 2020 to 80% by October 2020. And the report projects that mobile data traffic per smartphone in North America will jump from 11.8 GB per month to 49 GB per month – a compound annual growth rate of 27%. Also: "In 2026, 5G subscription penetration is set to be the highest of all regions at 80 percent."
Regarding the United States, the report acknowledged that 5G coverage build-out spans three-categories: 1) New bands in the sub-6GHz range; 2) mmWave frequency bands; and 3) Existing LTE bands. The report concludes that this approach has resulted in 5G coverage "for a large part of the population."
But as Free State Foundation Scholars have pointed out in recent publications, there's plenty that Congress and the FCC ought to do to accelerate 5G deployment in the U.S. For starters, check out "Congress Should Fund Needed Broadband Maps This Session," a Perspectives from FSF Scholars paper by FSF President Randolph May and Senior Fellow Andrew Long. Also see my Perspectives paper, "The FCC Should Promote Timely Transitions to Next-Gen Broadband."
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