Ericsson telecommunications company, a leading provider of 5G networks, has projected that by the end of 2028, there will be around 270 million 5G subscriptions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, accounting for 31% of total mobile subscriptions.
The company stated this in its latest Ericsson Mobility Report, published recently.
According to the report, 5G is forecasted to be the strongest-growing segment as service providers explore various service offerings requiring high bandwidth and low latency.
The company is optimistic that the availability of a wide range of 5G devices at attractive price points will drive uptake of 5G subscriptions as service providers are migrating their subscribers from legacy networks, and the growth in 4G and 5G will continue at pace.
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5G network in sub-saharan Africa
In sub-Saharan Africa, Ericsson believes 5G subscriptions will grow from the recorded 7 million in 2022 to 150 million by the end of 2028, making up about 14% of total connections in the region in five years’ time.
According to the company projection, 2G connections will continue to decline over the coming years as subscribers migrate to 4G and 5G networks.
At the moment, the company says 4G represents 29% of mobile subscriptions in sub-Saharan Africa, with 4G subscriptions expected to rise from 260 million in 2022 to 600 million in 2028.
“4G will be the main contributor to new connections up to 2028, accounting for more than half of all mobile subscriptions at that time,” the report read.
“Despite economic challenges, the Sub-Saharan Africa region’s economy is projected to be one of the fastest growing regions globally, sustaining growth in the telecom industry,”
“With the COVID-19 pandemic becoming a lesser concern, network investments are shifting focus from reliable connectivity for social and economic sustenance to increasing coverage and capacity, especially for mobile broadband connections,” the report added.
Global Fixed Wireless Access
The report also projected that global fixed wireless access (FWA) connections would grow faster than previously expected. It is forecasted to grow at 19% year-on-year globally from 2022 through 2028 and top 300 million connections by the end of 2028.
A wireless alternative to wireline broadband, FWA is one of the major early 5G use cases, particularly in regions with unserved or underserved broadband markets.
In Africa, 5G FWA has arrived in populous countries such as South Africa and Nigeria, as well as other emerging markets outside the continent like Mexico and the Philippines.
5G global outlook
The report projects that 5G subscriptions globally will reach 5 billion by the end of 2028. Despite current and emerging economic challenges in many parts of the world, 5G network subscribers will surpass one billion by the end of 2022.