The number of commercially available 5G services reached 200 by the end of 2021, according to the Global Service Providers Association (GSA), which says 99 carriers were evaluating at least autonomous (SA 5G) technology.
As many as 78 countries now had at least one standards-compliant 5G network, while the GSA year-end report also found that four-fifths of 5G operators have launched 5G fixed wireless broadband access (FWA) service. .
These advances are indicative of the potential of next generation networks to offer a real alternative to fixed connectivity.
5G global networks
Overall, the industry body had identified at least 487 carriers in 145 countries and territories that were at least in the planning stages of 5G, up from 412 last year. Some organized trials, purchased spectrum licenses, or even started the deployment process, but had not yet activated the network for customers.
Nearly all commercial 5G implementations to date have been based on non-autonomous 5G (NSA 5G), which uses new radio technologies but still relies on the underlying 4G core.
SA 5G uses a new cloud-based virtual core that allows data to be processed closer to the point of collection and enables features such as network cutoff. This enables guaranteed speeds, improved reliability, and ultra-low latency. Twenty operators in 16 countries have already launched a commercial SA 5G service.
This momentum is affecting the ecosystem of devices. The GSA says 614 5G smartphones have now been announced, a 120% increase from 2020, a figure that jumps to 1257 when other 5G devices such as routers, wearables and tablets are taken into account.
Many analysts have noted that 5G is the first generation of mobile technology in which network availability has accelerated faster than consumer demand and relevant device and application ecosystems. However, with 857 5G devices available to buy today, a 155% increase from last year, consumers are certainly spoiled for choice.
A separate report from Juniper Research predicts that 5G revenues will reach €600bn within five years, while Ericsson estimates there are now 600 subscribers worldwide.