Global 5G mobile subscriptions rose to 3.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026, with 162 million new subscriptions added during the period, according to Ericsson’s June 2026 Mobility Report released on Tuesday.
- +Global 5G subscriptions hit 3.1 billion in Q1 2026 — Report
The report projects that global 5G subscriptions will more than double to 6.4 billion by 2031 as network deployments and device availability continue to expand.
The report projects that global 5G subscriptions will more than double to 6.4 billion by 2031 as network deployments and device availability continue to expand.
Roughly 390 service providers have now launched commercial 5G services globally, while more than 90 operators have deployed 5G Standalone networks.
Ericsson said 5G networks carried 48% of global mobile data traffic at the end of 2025, a figure expected to climb to 85% by 2031, with Western Europe, North America, North East Asia, and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries projected to record the highest adoption levels.
The report flagged Africa as a region where Fixed Wireless Access growth remains limited despite strong long-term potential, adding that broader deployment of 5G infrastructure and supportive policies could unlock significant opportunities across the continent.
Ericsson’s Chief Technology Officer and publisher of the report, Erik Ekudden, said mobile networks are evolving into intelligent digital infrastructure as AI becomes embedded across devices, vehicles, and smart cities.
The report showed commercial adoption of differentiated connectivity services enabled by 5G SA network slicing rose from 65 offerings in November 2025 to 84 globally, reflecting a shift from early trials to mainstream deployment.
The report identified a shift in network usage patterns, with uplink traffic growing faster than downlink traffic at 43 of 55 service providers measured, driven by increased use of collaboration applications, cloud storage, and user-generated content sharing. Ericsson projects AI-related applications could push uplink traffic to more than three times 2025 levels by 2031.
In February 2025, Nairametrics reported that data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows that the number of 5G connections in Nigeria rose to 4 million by December 2024.
Despite this growth, 5G subscriptions accounted for just 2.46% of the country’s 164.6 million active telephone subscriptions at the end of the year.
Currently, three telecom operators, namely MTN, Airtel, and Mafab Communications, have launched 5G services in Nigeria.
