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5G Connections In APAC To Reach 400 Million In 2025

By Sarah Chen
1 min read
Qualcomm 5G scaled
Qualcomm 5G scaled
In this article (5)

A study published by a global organization of telecom operators suggests that in the next three years, 5G connections in Asia Pacific will soar to 400 million, four times higher than this year’s level.

In its “Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2022”, GSMA also indicated that the regional mobile network coverage today has reached 96% of the population. Of this, 1.2 billion users now have access to mobile internet services. This shows a penetration rate of just below 45% of the population. And among the reasons for this usage gap are the digital divide, the income gap and online safety issues.

It meanwhile predicts a continuous acceleration of 5G’s momentum across the region as commercial 5G services are now accessible across 14 markets. This is due to the economic improvement following pandemic lows, as well as the increasing sales in 5G handsets and overall marketing efforts. Commercial 5G services are also expected to expand to other markets, including India and Vietnam in the coming years.

The study also shows that the mobile ecosystem continues to propel the regional economy, as technologies and services brought in 5% of GDP, which is tantamount to 770 billion dollars of economic value added. The industry also supported nearly 8.8 million jobs in 2021, and enabled financial contributions to the public sector.

According to the study, “The mobile industry continues to deliver social impact across Asia Pacific, primarily by providing the connectivity that enables the growth of small businesses and digital transformation of enterprises, and granting access to life-enhancing services and tools for citizens.”

And amid the continuous deployments of 5G networks, the technology’s ability to empower next-generation offerings—cloud services, artificial intelligence, internet of things and edge computing—will boost digital economic development and innovation.

Questions & Answers

Q.

What percentage of the Asia Pacific population currently has mobile network coverage?

A.

The regional mobile network coverage today has reached 96% of the population. From this, 1.2 billion users currently have access to mobile internet services, representing a penetration rate of just under 45%.

Q.

What factors are contributing to the accelerated growth of 5G in the Asia Pacific region?

A.

The acceleration of 5G's momentum is due to economic improvement after the pandemic, increasing sales of 5G handsets, and overall marketing efforts by providers. Commercial services are already available in 14 markets.

Q.

How much economic value did the mobile ecosystem contribute to the region's economy?

A.

The mobile ecosystem propelled the regional economy, with its technologies and services contributing 5% of GDP. This is equivalent to 770 billion dollars of economic value added to the region.

Q.

What specific issues are creating a usage gap for mobile internet services in Asia Pacific?

A.

Reasons for the mobile internet usage gap in Asia Pacific include the digital divide, the income gap between different population segments, and ongoing online safety concerns for users.

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