The GSMA warns that a slower 5G rollout in the European Union compared with rival markets threatens the bloc’s “Digital Decade” objectives.
In its 2022 Mobile Economy Europe report, the GSMA reports that 108 operators across 34 markets had launched commercial 5G services as of the end of June. Around six percent of Europeans currently use 5G.
Norway leads 5G adoption in Europe, with 16 percent of its population on the new mobile network generation. The report also highlights strong momentum in Switzerland (14%), Finland (13%), the UK (11%), and Germany (10%).
By 2025, the GSMA forecasts that the UK and Germany will outpace other European countries in 5G adoption, reaching 61 percent and 59 percent respectively.
For comparison, South Korea is projected to reach 73 percent 5G adoption over the same period, while Japan and the United States are both expected to hit 68 percent by 2025.
Daniel Pataki, Vice President for Policy and Regulation and Head of Europe at the GSMA, commented:
“Europe is adopting 5G faster than ever before, but a greater focus on creating the right market conditions for infrastructure investment is needed to keep pace with other world markets.
This should include the implementation of the principle of fair contribution to network costs.”
Across Europe, 5G network coverage is expected to reach 70 percent by 2025, up from 47 percent in 2021. That still leaves roughly one third of Europeans without 5G coverage.
By contrast, the GSMA predicts that South Korea and the United States will have two percent or fewer people without 5G coverage in 2025.
The GSMA’s analysis warns that the EU risks a lost digital decade unless the pace of 5G deployment accelerates significantly. While global uncertainties may cause caution around the substantial investments required to meet the EU’s ambitious targets, strong connectivity will be essential for economic recovery.
“Two years into the EU’s Digital Decade, the connectivity target of ‘Gigabit for everyone, 5G everywhere’ has never felt more urgent,” the GSMA writes in its report.
The report adds that EU funding mechanisms — including the Digital Europe Programme, the Connecting Europe Facility and national recovery funds — present opportunities for operators to collaborate with governments to improve connectivity across society and support post-pandemic economic recovery throughout the region.
(Photo by Calvin Hanson on Unsplash)
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