Europe Lags Behind US, China, and India in 5G Standalone Adoption

Europe is significantly behind other major global markets in the rollout and consumer adoption of 5G Standalone (5G SA) technology, with only around 2% of speed tests originating on 5G SA connections in the first half of 2024, according to new data presented today.

In contrast, the United States saw over 20% of speed tests on 5G SA networks, India exceeded 40%, and China surpassed 80% during the same period. This disparity, highlighted at the Network X event in Paris, indicates a substantial gap in both deployment and end-user experience. The slower adoption could impact Europe’s competitiveness in emerging technologies reliant on advanced connectivity.

Industry Analyst at Ookla, Luke Kehoe, explained the situation, stating, “around 2% of all speedtest samples in Europe originated on 5G standalone connections. It was over 20% in the US, over 40% in India, and over 80% in China. So you’re talking about a massive gulf in not just the actual deployment of the technology, but end user use.” The reasons for this lag are rooted in the unique structure of the European telecommunications market, according to Joanne Taaffe, Editor in Chief at Inform, TM Forum.

5G SA offers improvements in latency and network slicing capabilities compared to earlier 5G iterations, enabling new applications in areas like industrial automation and virtual reality – learn more about 5G Standalone technology from Ericsson. European telecommunications companies are now facing pressure to accelerate 5G SA deployment to remain competitive with global counterparts and unlock the full potential of 5G. You can find more information about the TM Forum and their work in the telecommunications industry.

Officials have indicated that addressing regulatory hurdles and streamlining infrastructure upgrades will be key to accelerating 5G SA rollout across Europe in the coming months.