Advanced smartphones, all-around internet coverage, fast-speed networks… Sound familiar?

Of course it does! These are things we all take for granted in our daily lives. It’s hard to remember a time when we didn’t have any of this.

Naturally:

When it comes to technology, we’re constantly looking for the next big thing. Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger (as Daft Punk sing) is what defines our contemporary world. And some would call it EVOLUTION.

Based on all the latest 5G statistics we’ve collected, we might as well call it REVOLUTION, though.

How so?

The 5G network has the capacity to make us work Harder!

Make our lives Better!

Bring information to us Faster!

And make our world Stronger!

Not bad at all, is it? Let’s get cracking.

Notable 5G Network Facts

  • 5G is expected to cover almost 40% of the world by 2024.
  • 5G wireless network revenue will amount to $4.2 billion in 2020.
  • Global spending on 5G infrastructure is projected at $2.3 billion in 2021.
  • 5G will enable data speed to increase to 10 Gbps.
  • Deploying fiber optics for 5G will cost around $130 billion.

Seems out of this world, right?No, not in the slightest. But the 5G market forecast is truly mind-boggling. And we have the most recent facts and figures to prove it.

But before we start with our super-cool stats, we understand that you may have some questions.

Not to worry, we got your back with a…

Quick Q&A

Most of us are smartphone users and almost all of us are internet users. But not a lot of us stop and ask ourselves how all this content gets to our devices.

What Is 5G?

5G is the fifth generation of wireless network standards. It elevates the mobile network to a point where it interconnects and controls machines, objects, and devices. Expectations are that it will provide new and better levels of performance and efficacy, which will eventually connect new industries and provide a better user experience.

Here’s the deal:

Some of the improvements that 5G offers include ultra-low latency, multi-Gbps peak rates, enormous capacity, and uniform experience for users.

Eventually, it is supposed to take a much larger role than the previous network and essentially improve the current standards.

How Fast Is 5G?

The idea behind 5G is to improve internet speed to an exponential rate. Currently, the fastest network available, 4G LTE, supports peak data at 300 Mbit/s.Check this out: The 5G network is expected to elevate those levels 20-fold. Predictions even say that it might go up to 10 Gbit/s in the future and perhaps higher.

Insane!

To give us a taste of things to come, Deutsche Telekom carried out tests during this year’s IFA and came up with results of 3 Gbit/s under ideal conditions.

The jury is still out on how much faster is 5G compared to 4G. 

The thing is:

Not all of the 5G nodes have been rolled out, so the full potential of the network cannot be measured exactly.

However, here are some 5G vs 4G download speeds from different providers tested out in different cities in the US:

  • AT&T: 823-957 Mbps (5G) – 37.1 Mbps (4G) 
  • Sprint: 151-185 Mbps (5G) – 32.5 Mbps (4G)
  • T-Mobile: 369.9-579 Mbps (5G) – 36.3 Mbps (4G)
  • Verizon: 713 Mbps-1.07 Gbps (5G) – 53.3 Mbps (4G)

What Is 5G Used for?

The possibilities are endless.

For now, though, people envision usage in three main areas:

Enhanced Mobile Broadband: This won’t be limited to mobile phone usage - it will also expand to VR and AR tech.Internet of Things: Connecting virtually all possible devices for convenient usage.Mission-Critical communications: Enabling remote control operation of vehicles, critical structures, and medical procedures.

From 1G to 5G in Five Simple Steps

Before there was 5G, there was 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G. Its predecessors play an important role in the history of 5G. Why? Because they all introduced something new to the table and showed the way forward.

So, let’s see how things evolved.

Mobile Networks before 5G:

  • 1G – Introduced analog voice.
  • 2G – Added digital voice and gave way to features like SMS and voicemail.
  • 3G – Added higher mobile data transfer, which resulted in mobile web browsing, GPS location tracking, and image sharing.
  • 4G – Announced the era of mobile internet with higher broadband for improved web functionality.
  • And now… drum roll:
  • 5G – The 5th generation of wireless technology also predicted as one of the fastest technologies in the world.

5G Availability in 2019

5G will not arrive in all places at once. It will take some time until it becomes available for the rest of the world.

So when will 5G be available?3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), the governing body that defines 5G, made a decision to accelerate the process of making 5G available. Thus, the decision was made that 5G starts its release in 2019, at the same time making it the new global standard.

However, certain things are easier said than done.

The initial 5G NR (New Radio) will mainly focus on providing enhanced mobile broadband experience. To put it in layman terms, lower latency and faster speeds.

It is going to take time until 5G becomes available throughout the world. For now, 4G LTE will continue to grow and expand its use until 5G is developed enough to be used in more places and countries.

The Verizon 5G release date in the US was in April 2019 - but only for Chicago and Minneapolis. Other cities are joining one by one, and widespread coverage is expected in 2020.

As for other parts of the world: 

So if you’ve been wondering “Is 5G available in my city?” chances are you will still have to wait a while to get it. Keep an eye on this space as we continue to bring you up to speed with the latest developments.

This is important:

You also have to take into account that not all phones are compatible with 5G usage. So it makes sense to roll it first out where such phones are readily available for sale. Additionally, providers need to expand their infrastructure for the network to really work.

5G Predictions for 2020

5G offers tons of capabilities going forward. It promises benefits beyond many people’s wildest dreams. We can divide usage predictions into three stages: short-term, mid-term, and long-term.

Short-term, we can expect Fixed Wireless and Enhanced Mobile Broadband from 5G.Mid-term, cases of Massive Machine-Type Communications and Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications will come, as 5G statistics suggest.

Long-term, the sky’s the limit. We can look forward to smart cities, remote industrial machine operation, healthcare advancement, virtual sports attendance, and much much more. Anything could happen really.

5G Smartphones

As we mentioned earlier, if you are looking to jump on the 5G bandwagon, you have to have a compatible phone. And even if you happen to have one of those, you can’t really use it everywhere. As you’d expect, you can only access the net in the flew places where 5G has already been rolled out.

But there’s good news:

While these phones are a rare commodity right now, they are being developed for future usage and will become more widely available as the network develops.

You should note that a 5G phone can reach its fullest potential only when paired with the 5G network. There are some concerns that smartphone addiction statistics will show a rise with the inclusion of this technology, but most agree there isn’t all that much to be worried about.5G Compatible Smartphones:

  • Motorola Moto Z4
  • LG V50 ThinQ 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy Note+ 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy Fold
  • Huawei Mate 20 X 5G
  • Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 5G

Now that the particulars are out of the way and we know what is 5G, it’s time to get down to business!

Drum roll, please…

Astonishing 5G Stats

Feast your eyes (and brains) on all of the yummy information about the upcoming 5G network that you can eat up.

1. 5G is expected to cover almost 40% of the world by 2024.

As 5G rolls out in 2019 and 2020, it will continue to enhance its reach. Expectations predict a network coverage of 40% worldwide within four years.

But you should understand that…The initial wave will be all about wireless technology, followed by 5G cell service. A new generation of phones specifically adapted for 5G networks is currently in development.

Those are not the only novelties.1.5 million 5G mobile subscriptions are predicted to happen in the same time span.

While…More than 4 billion IoT connections may become available in the same period.

2. Around 270 million 5G subscriptions are anticipated for 2024 in North America.

Without a doubt, the North American market will become one of the more important ones for 5G. Early estimates say that by the year 2024, we can expect 270 million subscriptions in that region alone. Based on the early 5G facts and figures, this means that 60% of users will use it.

For comparison:

Only 15% of users in Central and Eastern Europe will utilize 5G in 2024. The corresponding figure for North-East Asia is much higher at 47%.

3. Global spending on 5G infrastructure is projected to reach $2.3 billion in 2021.

As the 5G network progresses, the need for supporting infrastructure will also grow. So far, about $60 million have been spent on 5G architecture on a global scale.But this is just the start.

As 5G ushers in a new era of mobile usage and enhanced broadband services, the expenditure on 5G infrastructure will most likely reach the mesmerizing figure of $2.3 billion by 2021.

4. 204 operators are investing in 5G or 5G fixed wireless broadband networks.

A total of 204 operators from 85 different countries have already decided to invest in 5G networks. Those companies are mainly investing in trials, pilots, and tests. But there are some which are looking to invest in planned or even actual deployment.

That’s super advanced!

The most recent 5G statistics also say that 36 operators have already deployed non-3GPP-compliant or 3GPP-compliant 5G technology within their networks.12 of them have launched limited availability 5G mobile or 5G FWA services.

However, a total of five of them have announced 5G testbeds/incubators. 

5. 5G wireless network revenue will amount to $4.2 billion in 2020.

As things are looking right now, 5G network revenue is on track to incur an income of $2.2 billion by the end of 2019.

But a storm’s a-brewin’!5G statistics for 2020 suggest the income will increase by a whopping 89% in just a year’s time. So, the total 5G revenue for 2020 will amount to $4.2 billion.

Investments of the communication service providers (CSPs) will also increase from 6% this year to 12% for the next one. 

6. South Korea launched its 5G network commercial service through an AI robot.

South Korea was among the first countries in the world to launch its 5G network. But the way they did is astounding and unique.

Believe it or not:

KT Corporation, South Korea’s largest telecommunication company, has officially launched its 5G services through an AI-powered robot called Lota.

If that’s not cool, I don’t know what is.

If you’re wondering what does 5G do with the robot, Lota was actually unveiled as the first 5G subscriber (starting December 1, 2018) and will serve as a tour guide for visitors to the Seoul Sky Observatory.

7. 5G will enable data speed to increase to 10 Gbps.

The awesome power of 5G lies in its speed and low latency. It’s going to be the fastest network available so far, bringing big data to users in mere seconds… nay, milliseconds.

But exactly how fast is 5G supposed to be?

Good question! The answer is still up in the air, but predictions say that unlocking the full potential would bring a 5G speed of 10 Gbps, compared to the 1Gbps that 4G is currently capable of.

But the fun doesn’t stop there.

Latency is expected to drop radically and may amount to one millisecond instead of the 50 milliseconds we have today. Data volume will be 1,000 greater than it is now and will be capable of supporting 100 times more devices.

8. China currently has the largest 5G network available for commercial use.

China is leading the 5G race right now, as it already has the largest network available for commercial use.

How come?

First of all, three major Chinese providers (China Telekom, China Unicom, and China Mobile) have already started offering 5G services to users. 30 GB per month costs approximately 128 yuan ($18).

And that’s not all:5G technology statistics also confirm that the network is currently up and operating in 50(!) of China’s major cities, with 12,000 active 5G base stations supporting the coverage.

But what about other countries?

South Korea already has 3% of its population covered with 5G. But prediction says that China will have 7% (or 110 million users) covered by 2020.

9. Deploying fiber optics for 5G will cost around $130 billion.

The transfer to 5G is not going to be cheap. According to the latest 5G statistics, somewhere between $130 billion and $150 billion will have to be invested in fiber optics.

The study encompasses the period of the next five to seven years when the development of 5G and its infrastructure is expected to be at its peak. As you’d expect:

The US is one of the countries that will spend the most. Fiber passes through less than one-third of the homes in the US, with 39% of users having access to a minimum speed of 25 Mbps.

10. South Korea racked up 2 million subscribers by mid-2019.

The most recent 5G statistics for 2019 reveal that the number of South Korean 5G users is slowly but surely growing. Namely, there are 2 million mobile users who had already signed up for 5G by July 2019.

Check this out:

Exactly 574,840 people have signed up for the service in October 2018 alone.

At the same time, there are 55.84 million 4G users currently in South Korea. Even though that number seems huge, it has been steadily dropping. Only time will tell when 5G users will be in the majority.

11. The Augmented Reality market will increase its value to $198.7 billion by 2025 according to 5G statistics.

AR is one branch that will benefit immensely from the development of 5G. Augmented reality statistics predict that the market value of this technology will most likely jump to an astonishing $198.7 billion by 2025.

For comparison, AR was valued at “just” $5.91 billion in 2018, which is also an increase from $3.5 billion in 2017.

Both AR and VR are technologies of the future, but it appears that the introduction of 5G is going to unlock their hidden potential way sooner than many expected.

12. The speed and power of 5G may unlock $4.3 trillion in economic value worldwide.

A lot of us are aware of 5G’s potential. But some of it seems incredible, and many people are still trying to wrap their heads around it.

Mind you, estimates say that 5G can add up to 10,000 times more traffic and that the 5G speed browser is 20 times faster than the 4G one, with only a millisecond of latency.KPMG predicts that 5G has the capacity to amplify almost all of the current technologies that we have and will in time gain an economic value of mind-blowing $4.3 trillion worldwide. Let that sink in for a minute.

13. By 2021, 80% of content worldwide will be video.

At this moment, some 60% of videos viewed online are watched on home broadband. With the introduction of 5G, there will be a massive shift to mobile devices.

However, marketing agencies see this as a potential for improving their campaigns. 5G marketing solutions will be a big thing in the future and will include the increased usage of video.

An analysis conducted by Cisco predicts that, with the inclusion of 5G, we are going to view as much as 80% of content using video by 2021.

14. Verizon launched its 5G network in the US in Chicago and Minneapolis.

Verizon has already deployed its 5G network in two major US cities. For now, only people from Chicago and Minneapolis are able to get in on the act.

The service will be built on Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband Network. For now, 5G design works by pairing a Motorola moto z3 smartphone with a Motorola 5G moto mod, allowing you to create your 5G phone.

News flash:

These are only two of the 30 cities that Verizon plans to make 5G available in by 2020.

15. The 5G network will consume three times as much power as 4G.

Something that many people disregard when talking about 5G is energy usage. We already mentioned that 5G is predicted to deliver 1,000 times more data than 4G. But at the same time, it is going to consume 1,000 more energy.

This sounds scary!

16. Switzerland has the most 5G deployments of any country (399).

If you’ve been wondering which country has the most 5G deployments available, you might be surprised to find out that it’s Switzerland!

The Swiss have 399 available, followed by South Korea with 179.

The US, the UK, and Germany are in the top 10 but have fewer deployments than Switzerland, Kuwait, and South Korea.

A 5G internet browser, used in tandem with your phone, further connects to base stations that are going to be deployed around cities to enable 5G usage. Those base stations are problematic, as they are predicted to consume three times as much energy as 4G ones.

Luckily, there is a solution:

Providers are deploying 5G small cells that use a lot less energy to deal with the issue. According to the latest predictions, 13.1 million small cells will be in use by 2025, greatly outnumbering the number of 4G small cells currently available.

To Conclude

We may still not be able to comprehend the full awesomeness of the potential of 5G, as there is much more that we don’t know about it.

But it’s safe to assume that it will change… well, everything. Imagine having the best internet available today. Now try to think about what you can do with it.

Now enhance that by 1,000. Amazed much? And the use of 5G doesn’t end there. 

In a nutshell:

Everything will become faster, and we will also get access to more things that we could only have dreamed of a couple of years ago.

As our 5G statistics convincingly demonstrate, 5G is right around the corner. Get ready for it to blow your mind!