5G in MENA: GCC operators set for global leadership

Topic

5G

5G in MENA: GCC operators set for global leadership
This insight is locked

This insight is open to all subscribers and registered users, or available by completing the form below.

Report details

5G in MENA: GCC operators set for global leadership
Pages
41
Released
NOVEMBER 2018

5G is rapidly moving from trials to early commercialisation. Between 2018 and 2020, more than 50 countries will launch 5G mobile services across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia

Pacific. In some markets, the launch of 5G commercial services is occurring earlier than initially announced – notable examples include the US, China, South Korea, Australia and some of the Gulf

Cooperation Council (GCC) Arab States.

This GSMA Intelligence report looks at 5G in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region across different perspectives: network deployment, spectrum, use cases, market opportunities, and policy and regulation. It also presents GSMA Intelligence forecasts for the number of 5G mobile connections in MENA, as well as comparisons with other regions and major countries.

The report forms part of a series of publications on 5G from GSMA Intelligence to shine light on 5G developments around the world. It follows previous research on 5G in the US and China. 5G developments and early customer adoption in the US, China and the GCC Arab States will be closely watched by operators, vendors, internet companies, enterprises and governments around the globe, in order to learn lessons from 5G leaders.

Download the Report

Complete the form below to get instant access to this content. For easier access in the future, you can register for a free account here.

By submitting this form, you agree that your email address and related activity on the platform will be processed for the purpose of generating and providing the requested report. Your data will be shared with GSMA Intelligence for this purpose. For more information, please see the GSMA Intelligence Privacy Policy.

Opt-in for Marketing Communications:
To ensure you stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the mobile industry, GSMA Intelligence would like to send you information about events, products, services, and initiatives, as well as industry news. Please subscribe by ticking this box; once subscribed, you can tailor what you receive from us at any time, or unsubscribe, should you wish.

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 subscription

Contact our research team

Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.

Contact our research team

Media

To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.

Learn more

Related research

5G in Context, Q4 2025

Standard
Topic
5G

This quarterly review of global 5G developments provides a concise, tracker-style deliverable, presenting key metrics and forecasts in an easy-to-access and engaging way. GSMA Intelligence has aggregated the latest data on 5G connections and adoption, as well as information on network trials/launches and spectrum assignments.

This insight is locked

Reshaping networks: from a 5G core to an agentic core

Standard
Topics
5G
Artificial intelligence (AI)

Building on previous reports on the evolution of core networks in the 5G-Advanced and AI eras, this report explores what agentic AI means for the mobile core. For the mobile core, most key objectives are unchanged: building future-proof networks that can support a growing and diverse range of endpoints (users, devices and applications) while efficiently delivering intelligent services at scale – all underpinned by a monetisation imperative. But new dynamics have entered the space, from the rise of agentic AI to the sharp focus on sovereignty and mission-critical connectivity. As such, a fresh review of the evolution of mobile core networks is needed.

This insight is locked

The State of 5G 2026

Topics
5G
Mobile networks and connectivity
Digital industries

This report analyses the state of 5G, seven years after its commercial launch, using GSMA Intelligence’s 5G Connectivity Index to benchmark 46 markets across 5G infrastructure and services. It shows broad convergence across the foundation components (coverage, affordability, adoption), but reveals a widening gap on advanced capabilities, including 5G standalone (SA), 5G‑Advanced, uplink performance, fixed wireless access (FWA), IoT and RedCap.

This insight is locked
Full access
Get full access to our research now, get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis
  • 200 reports a year
  • 50 million data points
  • Over 350 metrics