Following commercial launches by the four largest US mobile operators, 5G is now a reality. As coverage expands across the US, and with Canada expecting to deploy 5G in 2020, 5G adoption is expected to rapidly gather pace in North America. By the end of 2022, 24% of connections on the continent will be on 5G networks, rising to 46% by 2025 – equivalent to 200 million 5G connections.

High subscriber penetration coupled with historically high consumer spend on mobile services means the North American mobile market will be worth $280 billion in revenue in 2019. In this context, the US is the largest market for mobile worldwide – around 50% greater than China.

The mobile industry must also play its part in the transition to a zero-carbon economy. Mobile technology’s biggest impact on climate change comes from its ability to enable other sectors of the economy to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Operators in North America are providing connectivity for digital solutions that reduce GHG emissions, such as by reducing energy use or travel and transport.

Key statistics and further links

Download the report:
GSMA Report: The Mobile Economy North America 2019