A GSM Association- an organization in the telecommunications sector that represents the interests of mobile network operators worldwide. Announced the launch of its annual Global Mobile Trends report. The organization expects the 5G rollout to continue in full swing in 2021, after a brief decline in 2020.
In the report, the GSMA indicates that, despite the brief setback of the Coronavirus pandemic, the deployment of 5G has recovered in full swing, about 113 telecommunications providers have deployed 5G networks in 48 countries.
The pandemic, however, has led to a decline in telecommunications revenue. These revenues fell by 4 to 8 percent, about half the average decline in GDP since the beginning of 2020.
This decrease is specifically reflected in four components: roaming, telephone sales, struggling small and medium-sized businesses and consumers watching over their expenses. The first of these components can be explained by the sharp drop in the behavior of international travel and the other three are due to the economy in crisis.
In the coming years, the GSMA expects the launch of 5G to continue steadily. The organization expects 20 percent of mobile connections to be 5G by 2025. These percentages will be higher in United States, China, South Korea, Japan, Gulf States, Australia and parts of Europe.
In the short term, the GSMA believes that falling prices for 5G smartphones will contribute to the adoption of the technology. According to a 2020 survey, 37 percent of consumers plan to buy a 5G phone. That percentage was still 30% in 2019.
