5G and the World Cup: reimagining the possible
This report is available to those subscribed to the Fixed, TV and Convergence or Mobile Operators and Networks modules.
Globally, we estimate 5G take-up reached 12% of the population as of December 2022, although this is considerably higher (30–40%) in vanguard countries such as South Korea and the US. 5G adoption is a matter of when not if, and we expect it to move on a five-year doubling rate – faster than that of LTE or 3G. However, upward migration means nothing without upward monetisation.
Price premiums will provide some of this, but demonstrations of genuinely new functionality that people like and find useful is ultimately what will sustain revenue growth in the consumer segment. Sports and entertainment is an important focus area, and this piece focuses on the recent football World Cup in Qatar as a marker for 5G network capabilities.
Related research
IBC 2025: AI dominated the scene but it was not the only area of innovation and developments
The 2025 edition of IBC, one of the largest annual gatherings of the media and entertainment industry, had nearly 44,000 attendees from over 170 countries, with 1,300 exhibitors showcasing innovations and cutting-edge technology. AI was the dominant theme at the show, with a focus on generative AI and agentic AI. But there were also key developments in free-to-air TV and an uptick among vendors looking to increase interactivity to generate customer stickiness.
e&: A strong first-party gaming offering to profit from high consumer usage of digital gaming
Operator strategies continue to evolve in the digital era as the telecoms industry seeks to capture new growth opportunities in the consumer and enterprise markets. Assessing innovation and achievements is more important than ever before. GSMA Intelligence's operator case studies provide a concise and consistent way to shine a light on and analyse operators' strategies and business models, as well as how they are launching new services. This edition analyses e&'s comprehensive consumer gaming offering as part of its wider digital services strategy.
EE: Digital gaming as an important component of a wider consumer revenue growth strategy
Operator strategies continue to evolve in the digital era as the telecoms industry seeks to capture new growth opportunities in the consumer and enterprise markets. Assessing innovation and achievements is more important than ever before. GSMA Intelligence's operator case studies provide a concise and consistent way to shine a light on and analyse operators' strategies and business models, as well as how they are launching new services. This edition looks at EE's approach in gaming as part of its wider consumer revenue growth strategy.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn moreRelated research
IBC 2025: AI dominated the scene but it was not the only area of innovation and developments
The 2025 edition of IBC, one of the largest annual gatherings of the media and entertainment industry, had nearly 44,000 attendees from over 170 countries, with 1,300 exhibitors showcasing innovations and cutting-edge technology. AI was the dominant theme at the show, with a focus on generative AI and agentic AI. But there were also key developments in free-to-air TV and an uptick among vendors looking to increase interactivity to generate customer stickiness.
e&: A strong first-party gaming offering to profit from high consumer usage of digital gaming
Operator strategies continue to evolve in the digital era as the telecoms industry seeks to capture new growth opportunities in the consumer and enterprise markets. Assessing innovation and achievements is more important than ever before. GSMA Intelligence's operator case studies provide a concise and consistent way to shine a light on and analyse operators' strategies and business models, as well as how they are launching new services. This edition analyses e&'s comprehensive consumer gaming offering as part of its wider digital services strategy.
EE: Digital gaming as an important component of a wider consumer revenue growth strategy
Operator strategies continue to evolve in the digital era as the telecoms industry seeks to capture new growth opportunities in the consumer and enterprise markets. Assessing innovation and achievements is more important than ever before. GSMA Intelligence's operator case studies provide a concise and consistent way to shine a light on and analyse operators' strategies and business models, as well as how they are launching new services. This edition looks at EE's approach in gaming as part of its wider consumer revenue growth strategy.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics