South Korea is the Largest 5G Market

South Korea is furthest in the rollout and adoption of 5G. Switzerland is the largest market in Europe.

 

Market researcher OMDIA (formerly known as Ovum) investigated the countries where 5G is being rolled out commercially.

It takes into account the number of operators rolling out the technology, the network coverage, the number of subscribers using 5G and the availability of 5G spectrum and the regulatory ecosystem.

It is no surprise that South Korea, with 4.67 million 5G users, is at the top. The country is generally quite positive towards new technology and is home to Samsung, which produces both 5G devices and 5G equipment.

OMDIA’s report is a few months old. The figures refer to the situation at the end of 2019. The report should typically have been published in March but was delayed by the outbreak of Covid-19.

Kuwait ranks second, followed by Switzerland as the first European country. The US, Qatar, the United Kingdom and Finland complete the ranking.

“Limited coverage, devices and cautious launches have limited adoption in other markets,” said Stephen Myers, chief analyst at OMDIA. However, the market analyst emphasizes that many more commercial launches will take place in the next 12-18 months.