VIAVI Solutions has reported that 5G networks are now present in 47 of the world’s 70 largest economies by GDP, according to its annual “The State of 5G” report.
The study finds 2,497 cities worldwide with commercial 5G networks, spread across 92 countries.
In addition, 23 countries are running pre-commercial 5G trials, while 32 countries have formally announced plans to deploy 5G. The remaining 48 countries that have not announced 5G initiatives are largely smaller island nations or markets that have yet to publicize their plans.
During 2022, 18 countries—among them major emerging economies such as India and Mexico—reported their first 5G deployments. Other emerging markets making initial moves included Angola, Ethiopia, and Guatemala.
The report also highlights several significant trends shaping global 5G rollout.
A notable shift is that the United States has overtaken China to lead in the number of cities with commercial 5G coverage for the first time. The number of US cities with 5G rose sharply to 503, up from 297 in May 2022.
China, however, continues to lead in other critical metrics—such as peak and average data speeds, total 5G subscribers, and the number of deployed base stations—despite its city count remaining steady at 356 since June 2021.
The private network ecosystem is also taking shape: manufacturing has become the largest sector for publicly announced private 5G deployments, accounting for 44 percent. Logistics, education, transportation, sports, utilities, and mining follow as other prominent adopters.
Organizations experiencing the greatest connectivity challenges—and those with the clearest opportunities for smart, automated applications—are naturally becoming early and enthusiastic adopters of private 5G solutions.
Another major trend is the rapid adoption of 5G Standalone (SA) networks. These networks use a new 5G core and operate independently of existing 4G infrastructure, enabling a broader range of use cases and monetization opportunities than non-standalone deployments, which are mostly limited to enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB).
As of January 2023 there were 45 commercial 5G SA networks across 23 countries—almost double the 24 networks recorded a year earlier—illustrating the accelerating global shift toward a full 5G core.
The report also notes growing interest in millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum—generally defined as 24 GHz and above—for 5G deployments. Countries making mmWave bands available represent diverse geographies, population sizes, and stages of technological development, indicating broad global interest in high-frequency spectrum.
Sameh Yamany, CTO at VIAVI Solutions, commented:
“2022 was 5G’s graduation year. It evolved from being a developed-market phenomenon into a global phenomenon.
On a technical level too—with a near doubling of Standalone 5G networks—the capabilities of 5G have expanded significantly, and we can look forward to more sophisticated network and business capabilities from operators.
In the coming year, a major focus will be network quality and the further development of Open RAN technologies—and we’ll be playing our part in ensuring those are as successful as possible.”
The report underscores the importance of expanding 5G coverage and the technology’s potential to transform industries by enabling new services, improving operational efficiency, and supporting innovation across sectors.
As 5G becomes more accessible worldwide, businesses and public organizations in manufacturing, logistics, education, transport and other sectors are increasingly adopting 5G to enhance connectivity and unlock new digital opportunities.
Looking to revamp your digital transformation strategy? Learn more about Digital Transformation Week, taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The event is co-located with the IoT Tech Expo.
Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge.