The Asia-Pacific region is poised for a substantial increase in 5G subscriptions, with numbers expected to surge from 2.7 billion in 2025 to 4.6 billion by 2030, according to GlobalData. This growth, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.4%, is attributed to the rapid adoption of affordable 5G devices and ongoing network rollouts in countries like India, Malaysia, and Thailand, alongside upcoming service launches in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Government initiatives and enterprise digital transformation efforts are accelerating 5G adoption across the region. Sarwat Zeeshan, a Telecom Analyst at GlobalData, highlighted that “government initiatives, enterprise digital transformation efforts, and growing demand for high-performance connectivity needed for evolving applications areas like smart manufacturing, autonomous mobility, cloud gaming, etc are accelerating standalone 5G deployments and driving 5G service adoption in the region.”
Countries such as Australia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan have implemented national 5G strategies to expand coverage and foster technological innovation. China, in particular, is set to remain the largest 5G market globally, with 75% of its mobile subscriptions expected to be on 5G by 2029, driven by significant investments and regulatory efforts to extend coverage to rural areas and industrial parks.
The expansion of 5G networks presents lucrative opportunities for telecom operators, enabling them to offer premium services and enterprise connectivity solutions. The integration of 5G with emerging technologies like AI and IoT is expected to drive innovation and growth in sectors such as health, manufacturing, and mining. Zeeshan concludes, “APAC has become the centre of the technological race for 5G+ supremacy.”
