Ericsson Projects 80% of 2026 Mobile Subs in North America Will Be 5G

Four of every 10 mobile subscriptions globally will be 5G in 2026, reported Ericsson Monday. “Current 5G uptake in subscriptions and population coverage confirms the technology as deploying the fastest of any generation of mobile connectivity.” Ericsson estimates that by year-end, more than a billion people -- 15% of the population -- will live in an area with 5G coverage. That’s expected to grow to 60% in 2026, when 5G subscriptions are forecast to reach 3.5 billion. Ericsson projects that globally, such subs will reach 220 million by the end of 2020, 4% of them in North America. “Commercialization is now moving at a rapid pace,” said the company, and 80% of North American mobile customers by 2026 will be fifth-generation, the highest of any region.