Huge growth predicted for 5G in first 6 years

There will be around 1.4 billion 5G connections by 2025, an increase from just 1 million in 2019, the anticipated first year of commercial launch. This will represent an average annual growth of 232 per cent.

A report from Juniper Research warns that to be successful, 5G fixed wireless broadband would need to meet expectations in real-world scenarios to compete with fibre broadband.

The research forecasts that China, the United States and Japan will have the highest number of 5G connections by 2025, comrpising 55 per cent of all connections.

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Additionally, it found that the United States alone will account for over 30 per cent of global 5G Internet of Things (IoT) connections by 2025, with the highest number of 5G connections for fixed wireless broadband and automotive services.

In terms of commercial IOT revenues, the Average Revenue Per Connection (ARPC) is predicted to be disappointing, especially related to smart cities and digital health. This was due to low data requirements and nominal duty-cycles. The research urged operators to develop new business models to minimise network operating costs, including software-based solutions to manage the diverse requirements of individual 5G IoT connections.

Furthermore, it advised that maximising connectivity revenues through 5G fixed wireless broadband would prove crucial to offset this disappointment, with ARPC forecast to remain above $50 until 2025.