Subscriptions to next-gen 5G mobile wireless are expected to be 1.9 billion worldwide and reach 45% of the population. 

That is according to forecasts in the June 2019 Ericsson Mobility Report, that is up 400 million subs from its 2018 report projection for 2024, or an almost 27% boost. Ericsson expects to play a big part in that rollout.

That 5G rise will need to be meteoric since Ericsson reports that it only expects there to be a little more than 10 million 5G subs worldwide by the start of 2020.

“5G is definitely taking off and at a rapid pace," says Fredrik Jejdling, EVP and head of networks for Ericsson. "This reflects the service providers’ and consumers’ enthusiasm for the technology....[T]he full benefits of 5G can only be reaped with the establishment of a solid ecosystem in which technology, regulatory, security, and industry partners all have a part to play," he said.

The Trump Administration has definitely talked up 5G deployment as a priority as the President looks to win the race against China for that new tech beachhead.

The report projects the 45% coverage figure could jump to 65% if spectrum sharing technology pans out and 5G can be deployed using LTE spectrum bands. 

"The strong commitment of chipset and device vendors is also key to the acceleration of 5G adoption," it said.