News Highlights
- Global 5G subscriptions exceeded three billion in Q1 2026 and are projected to reach 6.4 billion by 2031.
- AI applications, cloud services, and user-generated content are driving faster growth in uplink traffic
- Ericsson expects 5G to carry 85% of global mobile data traffic by 2031
The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) applications, cloud-based services, and user-generated content is reshaping global mobile network traffic patterns, with uplink data usage now growing faster than download traffic across many networks, according to the latest mobility report from Ericsson.
The report revealed that global 5G subscriptions surpassed the three-billion milestone in the first quarter of 2026, following the addition of 162 million new subscribers.
Ericsson projects the figure will more than double to 6.4 billion subscriptions by the end of 2031, underscoring the technology’s accelerating global reach.
Beyond subscriber growth, the report highlighted a significant shift in how mobile networks are being used.
Traditionally dominated by downlink traffic, networks are increasingly handling larger volumes of uplink data as consumers and businesses rely more heavily on video conferencing, collaboration platforms, social media content creation, and cloud storage services.
Of the 55 service providers surveyed, 43 reported faster growth in uplink traffic than downlink traffic, while 17 recorded uplink growth rates at least 1.5 times higher than their downlink counterparts.
Ericsson noted that emerging AI-powered services are expected to further intensify this trend. The company forecasts that AI-related traffic could push uplink volumes in 2031 to at least three times the levels recorded in 2025, as intelligent applications increasingly generate and exchange data in real time.
Commenting on the evolving role of telecommunications infrastructure, Erik Ekudden said mobile networks are no longer designed solely to provide connectivity but are becoming intelligent digital infrastructure capable of supporting a broad range of advanced applications.
According to Ekudden, the industry is approaching a transition toward what he described as “physical AI,” where autonomous agents and distributed intelligence systems interact continuously through high-performance 5G networks rather than relying primarily on centralized data centres.
The report also pointed to continued momentum in commercial 5G deployment worldwide. Approximately 390 service providers have now launched commercial 5G services, while more than 90 operators offer standalone (SA) 5G networks.
Adoption of network slicing—a key capability that enables operators to create dedicated virtual networks for specific services and industries—also continued to expand, rising from 65 commercial offerings in late 2025 to 84 globally.
Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) remains one of the strongest growth segments within the 5G ecosystem. Ericsson found that 71 percent of FWA providers now deliver services over 5G networks, up from 57 percent a year earlier.
The technology continues to gain traction in North America, the Nordic countries, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations and several Asian markets, although growth remains comparatively modest across Latin America, Africa and parts of Southeast Asia.
Looking beyond the current generation of mobile technology, the report indicated that industry stakeholders are increasingly focusing on 6G development.
Initial commercial deployments are expected around 2030, with countries including China, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and several GCC nations expected to be among the earliest adopters.
