Omdia Expects 1.3 Billion 5G Connections by End of 2022

5G Americas recently shared research data from Omdia, uncovering how 5G adoption has evolved since first going live, as well as long term growth expectations.

According to Omdia’s findings, global 5G connections will likely reach 1.3 billion by the end of 2022. Following the trajectory of the forecast, 5G connection rates could reach 4.6 billion by 2026.

“We are now out of the opening stages of this generation of wireless cellular technology, as 5G is rapidly getting into the hands of consumers and businesses, who are finding innovative new ways to use mobile connectivity.” commented Chris Pearson, President of 5G Americas.

Omdia also found 2021 to be a major growth period for 5G networking. In North America, there were 72 million 5G connections, adding 52 million from 2020.

“During 2021 5G coverage really expanded, making 5G an option for a lot more people. The major operators in the US have more than 70% coverage.” commented Omdia’s Principal Analyst Kristin Paulin “In Canada, 5G really expanded for the three major operators during 2021, with each ending the year with 70% coverage. This is compared to between 24% and 45% coverage, depending on the operator, at the same time last year.”

In Latin America and the Caribbean, 4G LTE connections are still on the rise. Omdia found 72 million LTE subscriptions were added in the region year over year. However, researchers do expect 5G’s popularity to increase across both areas, with estimates of 301 million 5G connections by 2026.

“5G deployments continue to make progress in Latin America as new spectrum is allocated by regulators.” commented Jose Otero, Vice President of Caribbean and Latin America for 5G Americas. “The new generation of mobile communications offers many technological features that will be welcomed by citizens of the region as 5G coverage increases. Overall, 4G LTE is providing excellent mobile broadband during the difficult time of the pandemic that has emphasized the importance of reliable communications services.”