London, UK – A new report from Ericsson predicts a meteoric rise in 5G subscriptions across Sub-Saharan Africa. By 2029, the region’s 5G subscriber base is expected to reach a staggering 320 million, up from just 11 million in 2023.
This explosive growth is primarily driven by the availability of spectrum in lower and mid-bands and the declining prices of compatible devices. As a result, 5G subscriptions are projected to represent 28% of all mobile network subscriptions in Sub-Saharan Africa by the end of 2029. They will surpass 3G subscriptions.
The report also forecasts a significant decline in 2G subscriptions as more customers transition to 4G and 5G networks. Sub-Saharan Africa is poised to experience the highest annual growth rate in mobile phone subscriptions globally, reaching 1.17 billion by 2029. Additionally, smartphone adoption is expected to soar, with an estimated 790 million users in 2029 compared to 460 million in 2023.
To meet the increasing demand for data, the report forecasts a substantial increase in mobile data traffic. By 2029, mobile data traffic is expected to rise from 2 exabytes per month in 2023 to 13 exabytes per month. This surge is attributed to factors such as increased connections, expanded network coverage, improved smartphone accessibility, and growing demand for data-intensive content.
Globally, the report estimates that mobile service subscriptions will reach 9.26 billion by 2029, with 5G subscriptions accounting for 1 a significant 60% of all mobile network subscriptions. These figures mark a significant increase from the 8.5 billion subscriptions in 2023, signaling 1 the widespread adoption of 5G technology worldwide
