The State of 5G 2026

GSMA Intelligence has launched the 5G Connectivity Index to help enable increased coverage, adoption, usage and market development. The index provides a comprehensive assessment of 5G in 39 markets, offering insights for informed decision-making and investment by the mobile ecosystem and policymakers. This findings from the first edition of the index are presented in this report.

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.

Mobile operators face a defining moment in authentication. SMS one-time password (OTP) remains widely used and commercially important, but fraud, rising costs and competition from passkeys and app-based solutions are weakening its position. At the same time, the customer authentication market is growing. This presents operators with an opportunity to build on the reach and trust of the mobile number to secure a larger role in a rapidly expanding market. API-based solutions will be central to this.