Ericsson: Global 5G User Base Surpasses 3 Billion as AI Reshapes Mobile Networks

Ericsson  has unveiled the latest edition of its Mobility Report at its Mobility Trends Forum, revealing that global 5G subscriptions surpassed 3.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026. The report also highlighted the continued expansion of 5G Standalone (SA) networks, commercial network slicing services, and the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping the future of mobile communications and the evolution toward 6G.

According to the report, global 5G subscriptions increased by 162 million during the first quarter of 2026, bringing the total to 3.1 billion users. Ericsson forecasts that the figure will exceed 6.4 billion by the end of 2031, with Northeast Asia—including Taiwan—expected to achieve more than 90% 5G penetration around the same period. By the end of 2025, 5G networks were already carrying nearly half of the world’s mobile data traffic, a share projected to rise to 85% by 2031.

The report identified Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) as one of the most significant revenue opportunities for operators. Globally, 83% of telecom providers now offer FWA services, while 71% have launched 5G-based FWA offerings, up sharply from 57% a year earlier. Ericsson noted that operators in several markets, including Taiwan, are increasingly viewing FWA as a new source of revenue growth.

Ericsson also highlighted AI as a major driver of next-generation connected devices and services. AI-powered smartphones, smart glasses, autonomous vehicles, wearable devices and augmented reality applications are expected to transform how users interact with digital services. Although AI and AR smart glasses remain in the early stages of adoption, global shipments reached approximately 10 million units in 2025 and are expected to maintain double-digit annual growth in the coming years.

The report noted that AI-powered applications will significantly increase demand for uplink traffic as users and devices generate more video, sensor and real-time contextual data. Ericsson projects that uplink traffic will triple between 2025 and 2031, requiring mobile networks to deliver greater uplink capacity, lower latency and enhanced real-time processing capabilities. Research conducted jointly by Ericsson and Qualcomm also suggests that existing 5G networks can support early AI and extended reality (XR) services, while 6G will be designed to handle large-scale, data-intensive AI applications.

Ericsson said 5G Standalone and 5G Advanced technologies are enabling enterprises to accelerate AI adoption. Although 88% of businesses expect their AI solutions to depend on real-time data, only 18% have widely deployed secure and reliable mobile connectivity capable of supporting those applications. The company believes telecom operators are well positioned to provide the resilient network infrastructure required for enterprise AI transformation.

Commenting on the findings, David Chou, President of Ericsson Taiwan, said the industry is entering an era of “Physical AI,” where distributed AI agents embedded in devices, vehicles and smart cities will increasingly rely on 5G connectivity. He said mobile networks are evolving from best-effort connectivity into intelligent infrastructure capable of supporting differentiated services through technologies such as 5G Standalone and network slicing.

Ericsson reported that more than 90 of the approximately 390 operators offering commercial 5G services worldwide have already deployed 5G Standalone networks. The company expects 5G SA subscriptions to reach around 3.9 billion by 2031, accounting for roughly 60% of all 5G users. Commercial network slicing services have also grown rapidly, with more than 80 services now available globally, representing annual growth of 58%.

The report also highlighted expanding use cases for mission-critical communications. In the United States, operators such as AT&T and T-Mobile are using 5G Standalone technology to support emergency responders through priority communications services, demonstrating the technology’s growing importance for public safety applications.

Looking ahead, Ericsson said work on 6G standards is gathering pace, with the first implementable specifications expected to be finalized between late 2028 and early 2029. Initial commercial 6G services are anticipated around 2030, with global subscriptions projected to reach approximately 180 million by the end of 2031.

Ericsson expects 6G to build on the foundations of 5G Standalone while introducing AI-native network architecture, new radio technologies and integrated sensing and communications capabilities. The technology is also expected to enable seamless integration between terrestrial and satellite networks while delivering greater energy efficiency.

Wei Yi-Kuo, Head of Cloud Software and Services at Ericsson Taiwan, said AI-native networks are already demonstrating measurable benefits through global deployments and pilot projects. According to Ericsson, AI-enabled network optimization can improve downlink throughput by up to 20%, increase spectrum efficiency by up to 10%, double network capacity in high-traffic environments, improve coverage prediction accuracy to between 90% and 95%, and enhance user positioning accuracy by up to five times.