The State of 5G 2026

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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. The report explores which regions are leading (the GCC states, Nordic countries, developed Asia Pacific, China and the US) and what’s driving this (SA deployment, dense sites, strong quality of experience). It also examines the practical priorities to unlock 5G's next wave: accelerating 5G SA, preparing for 5G‑Advanced and translating capability into revenue via enterprise digitalisation, speed‑based tariffs and 5G FWA.

Report details

The State of 5G 2026
Pages
38
Released
FEBRUARY 2026

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