5G technology will surpass one billion subscriptions worldwide, two years ahead of the 4G LTE timeline for the same milestone, according to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report (EMR).
Ericsson has published two separate reports, the first addressing the future of 5G in the aftermath of the pandemic, while the second included highlights on trends in different markets.
Ericsson forecasts that 5G will grow faster than previous generations of technology.
According to the report, the total of 5G subscriptions will exceed 580 million worldwide by the end of 2021, rising from 220 million after an estimated million daily sign-ups this year.
Ericsson further forecasts that there will be 3.5 billion 5G subscriptions and 60% population coverage by the end of 2026.
In addition, Ericsson also published the Global Telecom Market Report (GTM) report titled "The Future of Urban Reality," which assesses the penetration of 5G and its enormous potential in markets around the world.
The report from Ericsson ConsumerLab, which is also Ericsson’s largest consumer survey to date, provides key insights into what will happen after the pandemic until 2025 through a survey of 1,000 to 2,000 consumers across the country, aged between 15-79.
Loading speed triggered
The report reveals that as consumers enter the "next normal," by 2025, two more new online services will be added to their daily online activities, and nine hours more time will be devoted to online activities than before the pandemic.
Underlining that medium-level online users have started to use more services in their daily lives during the pandemic, the report states that the gap between intermediate and advanced users will be closed with this change in online activities in the coming period.
The report forecast that some 48% of Turkey is expected to study and work remotely in the near future.
In fact, the most important reason for the increasing fiber connection demand is the increase in the expectation of upload speed.
Operators like Türk Telekom have boosted efforts to meet the fiber connection needs and the demand for remote working and distance education.
Due to COVID-19, online education in schools and universities in Turkey increased by 90%, while remote working increased by 45%. Distance education and work are expected to remain at 48% in the future.
Pandemic accelerates transformation
Işıl Yalçın, general manager of Ericsson Turkey, recalled the research results that projects that the number of 5G subscriptions will be around 580 million and said 5G networks would carry more than half of the world’s mobile data traffic by 2026.
"While 5G has become the symbol of fast communication, we have seen how important connection speed is during the pandemic process," Yalçın noted.
"This further highlighted the value 5G would bring to consumers and businesses. While digital transformation has gained great importance during the pandemic process, there have been significant changes in customer habits. Given that consumers expect to further expand their digital habits by 2025, it is necessary to put digital inclusion at the top of the agenda to build stronger future societies. That’s why we at Ericsson continue our intensive research and development on 5G and beyond, and work very closely with operators to keep up with the pace of digital transformation demands."
Local product preference
The pandemic has caused changes in the way consumers prioritize. Ericsson’s research forecasted that 57% of consumers in Turkey would turn to e-learning and online education programs to earn a degree or improve their skills by 2025.
In addition, 53% of consumers believe that shopping online will be a better experience than going to the physical store. One of the most important changes in this process is the prioritization of local shopping. Half of the consumers say they will generally prefer local products in 2025, partly due to environmental concerns, and think this will become the norm in the future.
By 2025, 58% of consumers in Turkey think they will only buy locally produced food and products.