Global 5G subscriptions top 3 billion, Ericsson says
Tue, 16th Jun 2026 (Today)
Global 5G subscriptions passed 3 billion in the first quarter of 2026, according to Ericsson's latest Mobility Report, which also found mobile uplink traffic growing faster than downlink for many service providers.
The report put total 5G subscriptions at 3.1 billion after 162 million net additions in the quarter. Ericsson forecasts that figure will more than double to 6.4 billion by 2031 as operators continue expanding coverage and migrating customers to newer networks.
Some 390 service providers have now launched commercial 5G services, with more than 90 offering 5G Standalone. At the end of 2025, 5G networks carried 48 per cent of all mobile data traffic, a share Ericsson expects to reach 85 per cent by 2031.
Regional adoption is expected to be strongest in Western Europe, North America, North East Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, where 5G mobile subscription penetration is forecast to approach or exceed 90 per cent by 2031.
In South East Asia and Oceania, 5G subscriptions are expected to rise from about 160 million in 2025 to around 670 million by 2031. Australia was singled out as one of the region's more advanced markets as operators move towards 5G Advanced and more autonomous networks.
Traffic shift
One of the clearest changes identified in the report was a shift in the balance of traffic flowing across mobile networks. User behaviour, cloud services and broader use of collaboration tools are driving data sent from devices to grow faster than data delivered to them.
Based on measurements from 55 service providers, 43 recorded a higher growth rate in uplink traffic than in downlink. In 17 cases, uplink growth was more than 1.5 times faster.
Ericsson linked the trend to smartphone communication and collaboration apps, user-generated video and image sharing, and cloud storage. Its modelling also suggested AI-related use could push uplink traffic in 2031 to more than three times 2025 levels.
Erik Ekudden, Chief Technology Officer at Ericsson and publisher of the report, said the shift could deepen as AI workloads move closer to end users and connected machines.
"With the upcoming transition to physical AI, traffic patterns will fundamentally shift as we move from centralised models in data centers to distributed, autonomous AI agents embedded across our device vehicles and cities, commonly connected by 5G," said Ekudden.
"Mobile networks are no longer only about providing best-effort connectivity, they are becoming critical, intelligent infrastructure that meets diverse application needs. Reflecting part of this shift is the continued rise in new commercial service offerings based on 5G standalone network slicing and the number of communications service providers deploying 5G SA," he said.
Slicing growth
The report also pointed to rising use of network slicing in commercial offers. The number of differentiated connectivity services built on 5G Standalone network slicing has increased to 84 globally, up from 65 in the previous edition of the report.
These services allow operators to allocate defined parts of a network to specific uses and service levels. The increase suggests operators are moving beyond early trials and broadening the range of services sold on that basis.
Fixed wireless access remains another area of growth. Ericsson said 71 per cent of fixed wireless access service providers now offer speed-based tariff plans, up from 57 per cent in the corresponding 2025 period.
New 5G fixed wireless access launches were recorded in markets including Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Morocco, Taiwan, Türkiye and Vietnam. Uptake has been strongest in North America, the Nordics, the Gulf states and parts of Asia, while Australia's market is becoming more established.
Australian market
For Australia, the findings point to a market that has moved beyond the initial 5G rollout and into a phase focused on service differentiation and network upgrades. Ericsson said the country remained among the region's more developed 5G markets.
Ludvig Landgren, Head of Ericsson, Australia and New Zealand, said Australia's network development would need to keep pace with changing demands from AI and connected systems.
"Australia has been an early adopter of 5G and is now entering the next phase of network evolution. As AI moves beyond data centres and into devices, vehicles, industrial systems and everyday experiences, mobile networks will play a critical role in enabling innovation at scale," said Landgren.
"The report highlights how traffic patterns are changing, with uplink demand growing faster than downlink for many operators globally. This shift reinforces the importance of continued investment in 5G Standalone, network programmability and differentiated connectivity services. These capabilities will help Australian service providers deliver new customer experiences, support enterprise transformation and build the foundation for the AI-powered economy," he said.
Total network data traffic across mobile and fixed wireless access services rose 22 per cent year on year in the first quarter of 2026, driven mainly by continued growth in India and North America, Ericsson said.