Philippines Among Fastest-Growing Markets for 5G as Global Subscriptions Surpass 3 Billion

According to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report, global 5G mobile subscriptions surpassed the three-billion mark in the first quarter of 2026. This milestone reflects a robust increase of 162 million new subscriptions within the quarter, bringing the total to 3.1 billion. The report forecasts that this number will more than double to 6.4 billion by 2031.

In Southeast Asia and Oceania, 5G subscriptions are expected to rise from about 160 million in 2025 to approximately 670 million by 2031. The Philippines is highlighted as one of the fastest-growing markets for 5G adoption, indicating a significant opportunity for local telecommunications providers.

As of now, around 390 communications service providers (CSPs) have launched commercial 5G networks, with over 90 offering 5G standalone (SA) services. Ericsson's report noted that by the end of 2025, 5G networks accounted for 48 percent of global mobile data traffic, a figure projected to rise to 85 percent by 2031. This shift is attributed to the increasing demand for data driven by applications such as artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing.

“What operators around the world have shown is that 5G can be both a growth engine and a monetization opportunity.”Daniel Ode, head of Ericsson for Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines

Erik Ekudden, Chief Technology Officer at Ericsson, emphasized the transformative potential of 5G, stating that with the upcoming transition to physical AI, traffic patterns will fundamentally shift as we move from centralized models in data centers to distributed, autonomous AI agents embedded across our devices, vehicles and cities, commonly connected by 5G. This evolution necessitates a redesign of mobile networks to support diverse applications through advanced technologies like 5G standalone and network slicing.

In the Philippines, the emergence of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) is seen as a monetization opportunity, particularly in areas constrained by fiber connectivity. Daniel Ode, head of Ericsson for Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines, remarked that operators around the world have shown 5G can be both a growth engine and a monetization opportunity. Philippine operators can have confidence from those experiences — combining FWA and 5G Standalone to bridge the digital divide while building sustainable returns.

“With the upcoming transition to physical AI, traffic patterns will fundamentally shift.”Erik Ekudden, Chief Technology Officer, Ericsson

The report also highlighted a notable trend in shifting network traffic patterns, with uplink traffic — data sent from devices to networks — increasing at a faster rate than downlink traffic. This shift is primarily driven by the rising popularity of video sharing, cloud storage, and collaborative applications. Measurements across 55 service providers indicated that 43 experienced faster uplink growth than downlink, with 17 showing uplink growth rates more than 1.5 times those of downlink.

As mobile network traffic grew by 22 percent year-over-year during the first quarter of 2026, the demand for mobile data is expected to escalate. Monthly mobile data usage per smartphone is projected to increase from 22 gigabytes in 2025 to 42 gigabytes by 2031, with total mobile network traffic anticipated to reach 515 exabytes per month by the end of the forecast period.

Ericsson's findings suggest that the convergence of AI, cloud computing, and advanced mobile networks will increasingly shape enterprise digital transformation, making mobile connectivity a critical component of future AI deployments. However, while enterprises recognize AI as essential, a limited number have fully integrated AI, cloud, and advanced mobile technologies across their operations, presenting significant opportunities for service providers to offer integrated connectivity and AI-enabled services.