China is on course to cement its status as the world’s largest 5G market, with China 5G connections forecast to reach 1.8 billion by 2030, representing more than 30 per cent of global 5G connections. The projection comes from the GSMA’s Mobile Economy China 2026 report, which outlines the country’s accelerating adoption trajectory, growing operator revenues and significant infrastructure investment plans through the end of the decade.
According to the report, China had already achieved 65 per cent 5G adoption by 2025. That figure is expected to climb to 88 per cent of all mobile connections by 2030, with mainland China alone projected to account for 1.7 billion of the total China 5G connections. Hong Kong is forecast to reach 95 per cent 5G adoption, Taiwan 96 per cent and Macao 90 per cent by the close of the decade. Globally, total 5G connections are forecast to reach 5.5 billion, while the Asia-Pacific region is expected to account for 1.5 billion.
5G-Advanced Deployment Gains Momentum
China is also leading the commercialisation of 5G-Advanced technology. By 2025, five operators had launched commercial 5G-Advanced services covering more than 330 cities and attracting over 30 million subscribers. These operators are using the technology to support mobile AI, immersive consumer services, industrial automation, intelligent manufacturing and smart city applications.
The 5G-Advanced deployment is part of a broader push by Chinese operators to extend network capabilities beyond traditional connectivity. Operators have also expanded non-terrestrial network capabilities, enabling more than 8.2 million direct-to-device users and connecting over 26 million satellite-enabled devices by early 2025. This extension of coverage reaches wearables, vehicles and IoT applications, further broadening the scope of China 5G connections across use cases.
In parallel, Chinese operators have deployed large-scale AI models for network optimisation, automation and customer operations. These capabilities are now being extended to enterprise services, with AI evolving from internal operational use to cross-device, real-time intelligent services integrated with 5G-Advanced networks.
Operator Revenues and Network Investment
The GSMA report forecasts that China’s mobile operator revenues will grow from $191.0 billion in 2025 to $222.8 billion by 2030. To support the surge in data traffic and AI-driven services, operators are expected to invest $194.1 billion in network capital expenditure between 2025 and 2030. This level of spending reinforces China’s position at the forefront of advanced mobile infrastructure development and underpins the continued growth of China 5G connections across the country.
The report also highlights the adoption of GSMA Open Gateway APIs. By December 2025, eight Chinese operators had adopted these APIs, representing 26 per cent of the country’s mobile market by connections. This move supports greater interoperability and opens the door to new developer services built on top of operator networks.
Digital Connectivity and Spectrum Outlook
On digital connectivity, the GSMA noted that approximately 91 per cent of China’s population is connected to the internet. The mobile internet usage gap stands at 8 per cent, while the coverage gap has narrowed to just 1 per cent, reflecting years of sustained investment in digital infrastructure.
Spectrum policy is expected to play a central role in the next phase of growth for China 5G connections. The upper 6 GHz band is emerging as a key capacity spectrum for 5G-Advanced following its identification for International Mobile Telecommunications at WRC-23. Future spectrum resources in the 4.5 GHz and 7–8 GHz bands, which are under consideration for WRC-27, will be essential for expanding network capacity and enabling the transition towards 6G. Existing low-band spectrum will continue to provide nationwide coverage.
The GSMA’s findings paint a clear picture of sustained momentum in the Chinese market. With 1.8 billion China 5G connections projected by 2030, $194.1 billion in planned network investment and the rapid commercialisation of 5G-Advanced services, the country’s mobile ecosystem remains firmly positioned for continued expansion through the remainder of the decade.