5G To Account for more than 41% of APAC Mobile Connections, says GSMA Report

Based on the GSMA's Mobile Economy APAC 2023 Report, 5G will account for more than two-fifths (41%) of mobile connections in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region by 2030, up from 4% in 2022.

APAC will have approximately 1.4 billion 5G connections by the end of 2030, with growth driven by lower 5G device prices, rapid network expansion in many countries, and coordinated efforts by leading governments to integrate mobile technologies.

While mature markets such as Australia, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea lead global 5G mobile innovation, barriers to mobile access and usage persist in a number of other APAC countries, according to the annual mobile economy report. Despite significant progress, nearly half of Asia Pacific's population (47%) still lacks access to mobile internet, lagging behind other parts of the world such as Latin America, China, and Eurasia. Poor digital skills, particularly among older populations, device and service affordability, and concerns about online safety are some of the barriers to adoption.

The following key report findings were released today at an event hosted by the GSMA and Singtel in Singapore:

- Mobile subscribers will increase by 400 million between 2022 and 2030, reaching 2.11 billion; mobile penetration will also rise to 70%, trailing the global average of 73%.

- The mobile sector added USD 810 billion to the APAC economy in 2022 and is expected to reach nearly USD 1 trillion (USD 990 billion) by 2030.

- By 2030, 5G will contribute more than USD 133 billion to the APAC economy.

- The service (42%) and manufacturing (34%) industries will benefit the most from 5G, owing to applications in smart cities, smart factories, and smart grids.