5G in the consumer market: the growth and monetisation story

GSMA Intelligence's Chart of the Month is a visual way of telling an important story in the mobile and broader tech ecosystem. From the shape and size of markets to trends in consumer behaviour, we aim to provide food for thought through informative visuals designed to bring colour and clarity to complex issues facing the industry. This edition highlights the major differences in behaviour between MVNO and MNO customers.

5G is beginning to make inroads in Africa, though its overall impact remains uneven and limited. With the technology now in its seventh year of deployment, this is a critical juncture for stakeholders to take immediate and coordinated action to accelerate deployment, deepen adoption and maximise the impact of 5G in the region. This includes addressing bottlenecks to spectrum availability and introducing policy incentives to stimulate both consumer and enterprise demand, particularly in markets where operators have already invested heavily in network rollouts.

Over the last 10 years, the number of MVNOs around the world has grown by 70%. As the consumer market is a major focus for MVNOs, analysing and comparing the behaviour of MVNO and MNO customers offers insight than can be used to inform business strategies and commercial decisions. This research unveils the biggest differences and their commercial implications.