5G connections in Europe will be 214 million by 2025: GSMA

The number of 5G connections in Europe will be 214 million by 2025, according to a new GSMA study.

This means more than 30 percent of Europe’s mobile connections will be running on 5G networks by 2025.

Telecom operators are expected to launch the first commercial 5G networks in Europe by 2020 and provide 5G network coverage to almost three-quarters of Europe’s population by 2025.

Mobile operators in Europe will be investing EUR 146 billion towards Capex related investment in 2020 against EUR 143 billion in 2016.
“A forward-looking regulatory environment designed to encourage investment and innovation in Europe’s digital infrastructure is essential to maintaining a vibrant European mobile ecosystem and delivering the European Commission’s vision for a Gigabit Society,” said Mats Granryd, director general of the GSMA.

GSMA said Europe had 456 million unique mobile subscribers, equivalent to 84 percent of the population, in 2016.

Unique mobile subscribers in Europe are forecast to reach 469 million by 2020, or 86 percent of the population – a 0.7 percent CAGR (2016-2020).
4G, which accounted for a third of mobile connections in Europe in 2016, is forecast to account for more than 60 percent of the total by 2020.

The number of 4G connections will overtake 3G connections in Europe this year. 4G networks are also set to evolve and grow in popularity well into the 5G era, supporting higher speeds via network upgrades based on MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) and carrier aggregation technologies.

European mobile operator revenue reached EUR 143 billion in 2016 and is expected to increase slightly to EUR 146 billion by 2020.

Mobile technologies and services generated EUR 540 billion, contributing to 3.4 percent of Europe’s GDP3. By 2020, mobile technologies and services will generate around EUR670 billion (3.9 percent of GDP).

Europe’s mobile ecosystem supported 2.6 million jobs, directly and indirectly, in 2016.

“Europe needs a holistic policy and regulatory framework that reinforces its position as a preferred location for investment and innovation,” Mats Granryd said.