5G deployments have started gaining pace around the world. While there is a lot of noise, there is quite a bit of progress with real network launches, handset introductions, consumer adoption, new applications and services. Chetan Sharma Consulting started Global 5G Update research service to help executives make informed, strategic and business decisions, to understand the trends and how they might shape their product roadmaps. There are five countries leading the way – China, Korea, India, Japan, and the US. 5G is a unique cycle. Operators need to be really strategic about how they deploy CAPEX and plan new revenue generation 4th Wave strategies. The structure of the wireless industry is likely to look quite different coming out of the 5G cycle than going in. There are early indications of how this might pan out but operators, regulators, and the encompassing ecosystem needs to adjust to the new realities, fast.
The global 5G subscriber base crossed 1.25B in Q3 2023 which is at a 3x faster pace compared to 4G global adoption. During Q3 2023, the global subscriber base grew 10% with China accounting for roughly 52% of the global subscriber base. We are starting to see the impact of 5G on postpaid phone ARPU across multiple nations now. US, China, South Korea and Japan are the top four nations to pass the $2.5 Billion/quarter mark in 5G revenues. China Mobile has the greatest number of 5G global subs. Korea became the first country to cross the 50% 5G penetration amongst the smartphone consumer base. It is also the first country to have 5G contribute to over 75% of its mobile data traffic. US operators have been expanding their networks at a good clip as well. India kick-started its 5G journey in Q422 and its base is expanding rapidly. Hundreds of 5G handsets are entering into the ecosystem. However, the real competition will be in the new billion-dollar revenue streams that get created. For ecosystem players who seek to develop a platform based on 5G, the work is just starting.
Global 5G Update provides strategic insights and a snapshot of the salient points on 5G progress in Q3 2023:
- 5G in Q3 2023
–Overview
–Summary
–5G Race
–Subs and Penetration
- 5G Data Consumption
- Does 5G Increase ARPU?
- 5G Revenue
- 5G Progress
–China
–Korea
–Japan
–US
–India
–Rest of the World
