Ericsson highlighted growing momentum for 5G-enabled fixed wireless access (FWA), with more than half of global operators now offering “speed-based monetisation” supported by the technology.
The latest edition of its Mobility Report revealed 51 per cent of communications service providers (CSPs) with FWA services now offer 5G-enabled speed-based plans, up from 40 per cent last year. The shift is apparently driven by increased adoption of the technology across North America, Europe and the Middle East.
Ericsson stated that 5G FWA allows service providers to create packages with varying data speeds and enhanced entertainment options, resembling fibre or cable offerings, improving its monetisation potential.
The company also forecast that FWA will account for more than 35 per cent of new fixed broadband connections globally, rising to 350 million by 2030. Indeed, 5G FWA was found to play a pivotal role in extending broadband access in areas where traditional wired deployment is unfeasible.
The report also predicted 5G subscriptions will reach 2.9 billion by the end of 2025, comprising of nearly one-third of all mobile subscriptions. The total is expected to reach 6.3 billion by 2030. Meanwhile, mobile data traffic jumped 19 per cent year on year in Q1 2025, with 5G networks expected to handle 80 per cent of global traffic by the end of the decade. The predicted figure marks a significant leap as 5G networks handled only 35 per cent of global mobile traffic by the end of 2024.
Ericsson also highlighted the growing uptake of standalone (SA) 5G and 5G Advanced networks as key enablers of monetisation, allowing CSPs to go beyond data volume and offer differentiated connectivity services across sectors such as events, media production, gaming and retail.
Ericsson’s senior VP and CTO Erik Ekudden described the sector as being “at an inflection point, where 5G and the ecosystem are set to unleash a wave of innovation”. To this end, he urged operators to accelerate SA 5G deployments and mid-band site build outs to unlock new commercial opportunities.