Ericsson Mobility Report 2025: 5G Subscriptions to Reach 2.9 Billion, 5G SA Adoption Accelerates
The report forecasts that enhanced mobile broadband will remain a major 5G use case, with 5G subscriptions expected to reach over 6.4 billion by 2031, accounting for roughly two-thirds of all mobile subscriptions.
5G Standalone (5G SA) deployments have driven significant growth in 2025, with an increasing number of communications service providers (CSPs) offering differentiated connectivity models based on network slicing. Network slicing allows CSPs to allocate dedicated portions of the network to guarantee quality of service for specific customer use cases. These insights are part of the November 2025 Ericsson Mobility Report (EMR), which provides in-depth analysis, reporting, and forecasting on global mobile networks.
More than 90 CSPs have now launched or soft-launched 5G SA networks, marking an increase of approximately 30 CSPs from the same period last year and 20 since the June 2025 EMR. Researchers identified 118 instances across 56 CSPs where network slicing is deployed to deliver differentiated connectivity services. Of these, 65 cases have moved beyond proof of concept into commercial services across 33 CSPs, either as subscription offerings or add-on packages for consumers and enterprise clients. Notably, 21 of these commercial offerings—almost one-third—were launched during 2025 alone.
Ericsson CTO Erik Ekudden highlighted that service providers globally are embracing 5G SA to offer value-based connectivity services rather than traditional data volume packages. He noted that many CSPs have transitioned from proof-of-concept to commercial deployment this year, a trend expected to continue. The November 2025 EMR extends its forecast through to 2031 and introduces projections for the first commercial 6G deployments. Early 6G launches are anticipated in front-runner markets including the U.S., Japan, South Korea, China, India, and select GCC countries, with Europe expected to follow about a year later. Global 6G subscriptions could reach 180 million by 2031, excluding early uptake of AI-enabled IoT devices.
The report forecasts that enhanced mobile broadband will remain a major 5G use case, with 5G subscriptions expected to reach over 6.4 billion by 2031, accounting for roughly two-thirds of all mobile subscriptions. Approximately 4.1 billion of these will be 5G SA. By the end of 2025, global 5G subscriptions are projected to exceed 2.9 billion—around one-third of all mobile subscriptions—reflecting a year-on-year increase of roughly 600 million. In terms of coverage, 2025 will see an additional 400 million people gain access to 5G, with about half of the global population outside mainland China expected to be covered by year-end.
Mobile network data traffic grew 20 percent between Q3 2024 and Q3 2025, slightly above expectations, driven primarily by China and India. 5G networks are projected to carry 43 percent of all mobile data by the end of 2025, up from 34 percent the previous year, with an anticipated rise to 83 percent by 2031. Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) broadband also continues to expand, with 1.4 billion people globally expected to use FWA broadband by 2031, 90 percent of which will rely on 5G. Currently, 159 providers offer FWA via 5G, representing approximately 65 percent of all FWA service providers. The proportion of service providers offering speed-based tariffs has grown from 43 percent to 54 percent since the November 2024 report.
The November 2025 EMR includes three co-authored use-case articles showcasing 5G SA in practice: Singtel’s tailored customer experiences, Softbank’s enterprise IT modernization, and SailGP’s operational and viewer enhancements. Ericsson is hosting related online seminars on November 20 at 09:00 CET and 18:00 CET, providing further insights into the report’s findings.
