We are living in unprecedented times. Directly or indirectly, COVID-19 has affected everyone around the world. Social distancing and keeping millions at home has placed significant demands on infrastructure. Systems supporting healthcare, education and businesses of all types are under stress.
Today, connectivity is key and so far, telecom networks have stood up to the task. This massive disruption has highlighted the value of the network, as recognized clearly by the consumers we surveyed for this edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.
While in some markets 5G subscription growth has slowed as a result of the pandemic, this is outweighed by other markets where it is accelerating, leading us to raise our forecast of global 5G subscriptions at the end of 2020.
However, the success of 5G cannot be measured in subscriptions alone. The value 5G brings will be determined by the success of new use cases and applications for consumers and businesses. In this report we cover aspects of fixed wireless access, gaming and dedicated networks to give a broad picture of the progress of an industry that – despite the current situation – continues to rapidly evolve.
5G was made for innovation and, as the value of the digital infrastructure has been further evidenced during these recent times, 5G investments can play a significant role in restarting economies.
