VoLTE subscriptions are projected to reach 5.5 bn by the end of 2023: Ericsson

According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, there will be 1 billion 5G subscriptions for enhanced mobile broadband by 2023 and it will cover over 20 percent of the world's population by the end of 2023. The first commercial networks based on 5G New Radio (NR) are expected to go live in 2019, with major deployments from 2020. Early 5G deployments are foreseen in several markets, including the US, South Korea, Japan, and China.

The report said that mobile data traffic is expected to surge by eight times during the forecast period, reaching 110 Exabytes per month by 202 and this corresponds to 5.5 million years of HD video streaming.

"Video consumption continues to fuel mobile broadband traffic growth. The driving force behind video's uptrend is the young millennials - those in the 15 to 24 age bracket - who stream 2.5X more than those over 45 years of age," report added.

By the end of this year, LTE will be the dominant mobile access technology. It is estimated to reach 5.5 billion subscriptions and cover more than 85 percent of the world's population by the end of 2023.

Voice over LTE (VoLTE) has been launched in more than 125 networks in over 60 countries across all regions. VoLTE subscriptions are projected to reach 5.5 billion by the end of 2023, accounting for more than 80 percent of the combined LTE and 5G subscriptions.

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Niklas Heuveldop, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Technology and Emerging Business, Ericsson, says: "The latest report highlights trends in mobile subscription and data traffic growth, as well as the industry's effort to tackle the increasing demands on mobile networks globally. In addition, the report examines the emergence of new use cases as network capabilities evolve - smartwatches, IoT alarms, and augmented reality-assisted maintenance and repair, to name a few. As we prepare for 5G, these trends will continue to set the agenda for the mobile industry going forward."

The report also estimated that there will be nearly 800 million VoLTE subscribers in India by 2023 -- growing at a CAGR of 42.5 percent between 2017 and 2023.

"We expect LTE to be the most dominant technology in India by 2023. LTE will account for more than 60 percent of the total subscriptions in the country by 2023 compared to the 12 percent subscriptions in 2017," Nitin Bansal, Managing Director, Ericsson India, said.