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5G Standalone Networks Surge in 2025,Paving the Way for 6G Innovation
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The rapid expansion of 5G Standalone (5G SA) networks is reshaping the telecommunications landscape,with deployments driving a significant increase in differentiated connectivity services,according to the November 2025 Ericsson Mobility Report (EMR). The report confirms a pivotal year for 5G SA, signaling a shift towards more sophisticated adn value-driven mobile experiences.
5G SA Drives Commercial Innovation
The November 2025 EMR finds that 56 CSPs are now offering 5G SA services, with 65 of those cases now delivering commercial services to both consumer and enterprise customers. Notably, 21 of these commercial offerings were launched in 2025 alone, demonstrating accelerating market momentum.
Global 5G Adoption Reaches New Heights
More than 90 CSPs have now launched or soft-launched 5G SA networks globally – a considerable increase of approximately 30 from the same period last year and 20 from the June 2025 EMR. This expansion is fueling a surge in 5G subscriptions, projected to exceed 2.9 billion by the end of 2025. this represents roughly one-third of all mobile subscriptions worldwide,an increase of 600 million year-over-year.
Geographical coverage is also expanding rapidly, with 400 million additional people gaining access to 5G in 2025. By year-end, approximately half of the global population – excluding mainland China – is expected to be within 5G reach.
Data traffic Soars, Driven by Asia
Mobile network data traffic experienced a 20% increase between the third quarter of 2024 and the same period in 2025, exceeding initial expectations. This growth was primarily driven by increased usage in mainland China and India. Analysts forecast an average annual growth rate of 16% through 2031. By the close of 2025,5G networks are anticipated to handle 43% of all mobile data traffic,up from 34% the previous year,and are projected to reach 83% by 2031.
5G Use Cases Expand Beyond Broadband
Enhanced mobile broadband remains the dominant 5G use case, with forecasts predicting 6.4 billion subscriptions by 2031 – approximately two-thirds of all mobile subscriptions at that time. A significant portion, around 65%, of these subscriptions are expected to utilize 5G SA technology.
Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) broadband is also gaining traction as a key 5G application. The EMR forecasts that 1.4 billion people globally will access FWA broadband by 2031, with 90% of those connections powered by 5G.Currently, 159 providers offer FWA services via 5G, representing approximately 65% of all FWA service providers.
Furthermore, the number of service providers offering speed-based tariffs – a common monetization strategy for fixed broadband – increased from 43% to 54% since the November 2024 EMR.
Industry Leaders Embrace 5G SA
“we see that service providers around the world are keen to embrace and deploy 5G SA to offer differentiated connectivity based on value services and not just data volume packages,” stated a senior official at Ericsson. “As reflected in the case studies in this EMR edition, 5G SA is already enabling differentiated connectivity opportunities. We’ve seen many service providers go from proof-of-concept to commercial deployment in 2025 alone, and we expect to see that trend continuing.”
The Dawn of 6G
The latest EMR also provides initial insights into the emerging landscape of 6G technology. Based on past adoption patterns of previous mobile generations, researchers anticipate that the first commercial 6G launches will be led by service providers in key markets, including the US, Japan, South Korea, China, India, and countries within the Gulf Cooperation council.
Global 6G subscriptions are forecast to reach 180 million by the end of 2031, excluding early adoption of AI-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Ericsson believes this number could be substantially higher if 6G deployment accelerates. Though,commercial 6G is expected
