Global 5G connections surge during COVID-19

5G has confirmed its status as the fastest-growing wireless cellular technology, with worldwide connections increasing 308.66% from Q4 2019 to the start of this year, according to data from Omdia.

Globally, there are now 63.6 million 5G connections and 82 5G commercial networks — a figure that is expected to reach 206 by late 2020.

Additionally, there are more than 100 commercial 5G device models with increasing support for low-band, mid-band and millimetre-wave (mmWave) frequency bands.

Kristin Paulin, Senior Analyst at Omdia, says this growth is set to continue, with Omdia projecting 238 million 5G connections globally by the end of this year.

“We expect growth to pick up in the second half of the year, following the easing of lockdowns as well as continued 5G network expansion and the availability of more 5G devices,” she said.

Despite global strength in terms of the number of 5G network rollouts, regional differences are beginning to emerge due to the localised impacts of COVID-19.

This has been felt most profoundly by Latin America and the Caribbean, where some governments have had to make adjustments to communications services taxes and terms to minimise the impact of the pandemic.

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