Sweden’s Ericsson sees 220 million 5G subscriptions by year end

Sweden’s Ericsson on Monday raised its global forecast for 5G mobile subscriptions to 220 million by the end of this year, citing faster than expected uptake in China.

The telecoms equipment maker, which had previously forecast 190 million subscriptions, said it expects China to account for almost 80 per cent of the newly forecast total.

“What has fuelled the growth is China, and that is driven in itself by a strong strategic national focus on 5G in China,” Head of Networks Fredrik Jejdling told Reuters.

Ericsson said in its biannual Mobility Report that 2020 had seen society take a “big leap towards digitalization”, as the pandemic acted as a catalyst for rapid change and highlighted the impact connectivity has on peoples’ daily lives.