Page 77 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2023

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

30 Countries to Launch 5G Services in 2023

New figures from mobile industry forecaster billion by the end 2025. This momentum accounting for 145 million additional users.
GSMA Intelligence show 5G connections are confirms 5G as the fastest generational roll- Many of the new 5G markets scheduled to
expected to double over the next two years, out, when compared to 3G and 4G. As of launch networks in 2023 are in developing
expedited by technological innovations January 2023, there were 229 commercial regions across Africa – including Ethiopia
and new 5G network deployments in more 5G networks globally and more than 700 and Ghana – and Asia. Today, 5G adoption
than 30 countries in 2023 alone. Of the 5G smartphone models available to users. in the sub-Saharan region sits below 1% but
new networks to be deployed in 2023, it Growth will also come from key markets will reach over 4% by 2025 and 16% in 2030,
is expected that 15 will be 5G Standalone within APAC and LATAM, such as Brazil largely thanks to a concerted effort from
networks. The forecasts from GSMA and India, which have recently launched industry and government organizations to
Intelligence point to a significant period 5G networks. India will be especially provide connectivity to citizens. “Until now,
of growth in terms of mobile subscribers significant, with the expansion of services 5G adoption has been driven by relatively
and enterprise adoption. Consumer from Airtel and Jio in 2023 expected to be mature markets and consumer use cases
connections surpassed one billion at the pivotal to the region’s ongoing adoption. like enhanced mobile broadband, but that’s
end of 2022 and will increase to around GSMA Intelligence predicts there will be changing. We’re now entering a second
1.5 billion this year – before reaching two four 5G networks in India by the end of 2025, wave for 5G that will see the technology
engage a diverse set of new markets and
audiences,” said Peter Jarich, Head of
GSMA Intelligence. “The extension to new
use cases and markets will challenge the
mobile ecosystem to prove that 5G truly
is flexible enough to meet these diverse
demands in a way that’s both inclusive and
innovative.” As of January 2023, more than
90 fixed broadband service providers (the
vast majority of which are mobile operators)
had launched commercial 5G-based fixed
wireless services across over 48 countries.
This means around 40% of 5G commercial
mobile launches worldwide currently
include an FWA offering.

IoT eSIM Adoption Tipped to Blow

Juniper Research predicted an explosion to account for 75 per cent of all eSIMs
in the number of IoT connections delivered in use. This is due to those industries’
using eSIM in the years to 2026, with reliance on LPWA business models which
the logistics industry, and oil and gas “necessitate the use of mass deployment
extraction sectors tipped to drive growth. processes”. Juniper Research attributed the
In a report, the company forecast the anticipated boom to increased popularity
number of IoT connections using eSIM of eSIM management systems and other
would increase from 22 million this year to platforms cutting the cost of deploying
195 million by the end of 2026. The jump multiple connections at the same time. It
will see the proportion of eSIMs employed claimed many older systems had “hindered
for enterprise and industrial IoT uses, as the growth of eSIMs in the IoT market by
opposed to the consumer sector, move limiting the number of devices that can be
from 3 per cent globally to 6 per cent. By provisioned and managed via a single user
2026, it expects logistics, and the oil and interface”.
gas industries to lead the way in adoption
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