The telecom sector is entering into a very exciting new chapter with robust 5G adoption along with a rising ecosystem that is going to drive innovation and even reshape the way people work, connect, and live.
According to a report coming from Ericsson Mobility, 5G momentum is increasing and is forecasted to touch almost one-third of the overall mobile users, which is about 2.9 billion people, by the end of 2025. Apparently, in Southeast Asia, along with Oceania, 5G subscriptions are anticipated to reach almost 630 million by the end of this decade, thereby accounting for almost 49% of overall mobile subscriptions across the region.
It is well to be noted that the data traffic per smartphone is anticipated to grow from 19 GB per month, which was prevalent in 2024, to 38 GB per month by the end of this decade. Apparently, it was the 5G network that handled 35% of the global mobile traffic by 2024, with predictors anticipating the figure to go beyond 80% by the end of 2030. The fact is that Vietnam is advancing in a very steady way with the launch of services in October 2024, with three service providers now offering 5G.
Rita Mokbel, the head of Ericsson Vietnam, says that right from 5G to the digital economy, technology is indeed driving the next wave of growth in Vietnam. Communication service providers are queuing up to offer nationwide 4G and 5G coverage across the country.
She added that there are many present as well as future 5G use cases that can actually bring a major shift throughout enterprises by enabling them to be more future-ready, effective, and also sustainable. The possibilities that 5G can go on to create for enterprises are going to put them on a fast track in order to meet the demands of the new world and more significantly contribute towards the socio-economic development when it comes to Vietnam.
There are recent advancements within the 5G standalone (SA) network teamed with the progress that has been seen in 5G-enabled devices, which has led to a spectrum that is poised to unleash a transformative set of opportunities in terms of connected creativity. According to Mokbel, in order to completely realize the potential of 5G, it is very necessary to consistently undertake the roll-out of 5G SA so as to further build mid-band sites. 5G SA capabilities happen to serve as catalysts when it comes to new business growth opportunities.
It is well to be noted that elevated roll-out of 5G SA is going to offer an even more robust foundation when it comes to adoption. And at the same time, also drive new use cases for consumers as well as enterprises.
As the generative AI devices crop up and AI applications become increasingly intricate, both application service providers and communication service providers are going to be required to focus more when it comes to latency along with uplink capabilities.
Apparently, the Ericsson mobility report goes on to talk about the present 5G device innovation, with generative AI in smartphones going beyond the high-end models, with AI-powered smart glasses gaining a lot of ground by way of audio interaction and also enterprise applications. It is worth noting that differentiated connectivity is going to be the key in helping with a high-quality user experience for customized AI agents along with other applications that are conversational.