Adoption Of Speedy 5G Services Is Growing: Kiplinger Economic Forecasts
The use of mobile video apps, such as TikTok and YouTube, is driving the adoption of 5G around the world.
Consumers rely on their phones for fast internet access, and they're increasingly turning to 5G to stream on their favorite apps without interruption. To help you understand what is going on and what we expect to happen in the future, our highly-experienced Kiplinger Letter team will keep you abreast of the latest developments and forecasts (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Letter or subscribe). You'll get all the latest news first by subscribing, but we will publish many (but not all) of the forecasts a few days afterward online. Here’s the latest...
Adoption of 5G service is going strong, despite declining smartphone sales this year. 5G brings faster speeds, improved coverage and other advances. India is the fastest-growing 5G market, according to telecom provider Ericsson, with hefty infrastructure investment. Meanwhile, North America leads in adoption: 41% of mobile subscriptions are 5G. That stands to surge to more than 90% in 2028. Global 5G subscriptions will hit 4.6 billion by 2028, making up half of the market.
What are people doing with faster mobile networks? Watching online videos — with YouTube, Facebook and TikTok, the biggest sources of data usage, per Ericsson.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
One fast-growing 5G market: Fixed internet service to a business or home. The U.S. leads the way, but it’s getting bigger globally. Customers plug in an antenna that receives 5G signals and the device provides fast internet at the premises. There are 100 million of these connections today. They will grow to 300 million by 2028.
This forecast first appeared in The Kiplinger Letter, which has been running since 1923 and is a collection of concise weekly forecasts on business and economic trends, as well as what to expect from Washington, to help you understand what’s coming up to make the most of your investments and your money. Subscribe to The Kiplinger Letter.
Related Content
- Consumers Won't Cut Mobile, Internet Spending, Despite Inflation: Kiplinger Economic Forecasts
- 7 5G Stocks With More Catalysts Than 5G
- 8 Best Wireless Phone Plans for Every Type of User
- Turn Your Smart Phone Into a Wireless Hotspot
- Choose a Cheaper Wireless Plan
- Extending Broadband to More Americans
- 10 Ways to Save On Your Cell Phone Plan
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

John Miley is a Senior Associate Editor at The Kiplinger Letter. He mainly covers AI, technology, telecom and education, but will jump on other business topics as needed. In his role, he provides timely forecasts about emerging technologies, business trends and government regulations. He also edits stories for the weekly publication and has written and edited email newsletters.
He holds a BA from Bates College and a master’s degree in magazine journalism from Northwestern University, where he specialized in business reporting. An avid runner and a former decathlete, he has written about fitness and competed in triathlons.
-
What You Learn Becoming Your Mother's Financial CaregiverWriter and certified financial planner Beth Pinsker talks to Kiplinger about caring for her mother and her new book.
-
I want to help pay for my grandkids' college. Should I make a lump-sum 529 plan contribution or spread funds out evenly through the years?We asked a college savings professional and a financial planning expert for their advice.
-
The Economy on a Knife's EdgeThe Letter GDP is growing, but employers have all but stopped hiring as they watch how the trade war plays out.
-
Banks Are Sounding the Alarm About StablecoinsThe Kiplinger Letter The banking industry says stablecoins could have a negative impact on lending.
-
Japan Enters a New Era of Risk and ReformThe Kiplinger Letter Japan has entered a pivotal moment in its economic history, undertaking ambitious policy and structural reforms to escape from decades of stagnation.
-
After Years of Stagnant Growth, Hope Emerges for EU EconomyThe Kiplinger Letter Can a German fiscal push outweigh French political peril?
-
Trump's Economic InterventionThe Kiplinger Letter What to Make of Washington's Increasingly Hands-On Approach to Big Business
-
AI Start-ups Are Rolling in CashThe Kiplinger Letter Investors are plowing record sums of money into artificial intelligence start-ups. Even as sales grow swiftly, losses are piling up for AI firms.
-
What is AI Worth to the Economy?The Letter Spending on AI is already boosting GDP, but will the massive outlays being poured into the technology deliver faster economic growth in the long run?
-
Kiplinger Special Report: Business Costs for 2026Economic Forecasts Fresh forecasts for 2026, to help you plan ahead and prepare a budget on a range of business costs, from Kiplinger's Letters team.