The primary business 5G cellular networks had been launched in Europe in mid-2019. Roughly one 12 months later, most international locations’ essential mass-market rollouts had been already underway.
The know-how continues to develop in recognition as community deployments progress. On the finish of June 2024, there have been an estimated 190 million 5G subscriptions throughout Europe, up from round 130 million a 12 months earlier.
In European markets the place 5G is offered, the know-how accounts for a mean of 27% of all cellular subscriptions.
Regular Progress
5G Development in Europe
Forecasts from TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database predict that the 5G subscription whole will attain 438 million by end-2026—43% of all cellular subscriptions in Europe.
By end-2030, we anticipate virtually 750 million 5G subscriptions, equal to 73% of the regional whole.
UK Out in Entrance
As of mid-2024, the UK leads the way in which as the biggest 5G market in Europe, clocking round 37 million subscriptions—roughly 40% of its total cellular whole.
As of mid-2024, the UK leads the way in which as the biggest 5G market in Europe, clocking round 37 million subscriptions—roughly 40% of its total cellular whole.
The nation’s first business 5G service was launched by EE in Could 2019. By mid-2024, its 5G community was accessible to greater than three-quarters of the inhabitants.
Vodafone was second to market, switching on 5G infrastructure in seven cities in July 2019. By H1 2024, its community footprint encompassed greater than 320 cities and cities.
O2 debuted its business 5G providing in October 2019, protecting six cities at launch and greater than 50% of the inhabitants by the tip of June 2024.
Though Three truly beat O2 to market with a 5G providing, it solely did so by introducing a “5G House Broadband” plan in August 2019. Accessible by way of a hub or router, protection for the service was restricted to elements of London. It was not till February 2020 that Three lastly confirmed a cellular handset 5G launch. On June 30, 2024, its community was accessible to 62% of the inhabitants by way of 4,900 base station websites.
Vodafone introduced the UK’s first business 5G Standalone (SA) launch in June 2023. Preliminary protection areas included the cities of Cardiff, Glasgow, London, and Manchester. By mid-2024, it had reached 23 cities.
O2 was the subsequent to implement 5G SA with a switch-on in 14 cities in February 2024. EE launched the know-how in 15 cities in September 2024. Three has but to announce an anticipated launch date for 5G SA.
Different Main Markets
Europe’s subsequent largest marketplace for 5G—as of mid-2024—is Germany, with an estimated 33 million 5G subscriptions from a complete of 120 million.
The federal government concluded its 5G spectrum public sale in June 2019. Only a month later, Vodafone launched providers within the 3.5GHz band. The next 12 months, Vodafone went on to include 700MHz and 1800MHz frequencies to enhance capability and protection. By June 2024, its mixed 5G protection reached 92% of the inhabitants.
Telekom Deutschland was the subsequent to launch 5G in September 2019, initially protecting 5 cities with speeds of as much as 1Gbps and reaching 97% protection by mid-2024.
Cellular market chief Telefonica lastly entered the 5G area in October 2020, reaching 95% of Germany’s inhabitants as of June 2024.
27% 5G Penetration
Europe’s 5G Sector
| Nation | Whole Subs | 5G Subs | 5G Share | First 5G Launch |
| United Kingdom | 92,322,700 | 37,235,000 | 40% | Could-19 |
| Germany | 119,602,100 | 33,300,000 | 28% | Jul-19 |
| Italy | 77,015,000 | 15,650,000 | 20% | Jun-19 |
| France | 78,289,044 | 13,305,950 | 17% | Nov-20 |
| Netherlands | 25,397,500 | 13,105,000 | 52% | Apr-20 |
| Poland | 51,210,095 | 9,850,000 | 19% | Could-20 |
| Spain | 53,935,200 | 8,945,000 | 17% | Jun-19 |
| Denmark | 8,690,330 | 5,217,541 | 60% | Sep-20 |
| Sweden | 14,599,100 | 4,976,250 | 34% | Could-20 |
| Switzerland | 11,662,299 | 4,963,133 | 43% | Apr-19 |
| Austria | 14,147,297 | 4,325,000 | 31% | Sep-19 |
| Hungary | 11,094,776 | 4,065,000 | 37% | Oct-19 |
| Finland | 9,156,206 | 3,965,485 | 43% | Jul-19 |
| Czech Republic | 14,830,000 | 3,615,000 | 24% | Jul-20 |
| Belgium | 12,353,800 | 3,535,000 | 29% | Apr-20 |
| Norway | 6,373,462 | 3,085,000 | 48% | Mar-20 |
| Portugal | 16,453,971 | 2,992,000 | 18% | Oct-19 |
| Romania | 24,761,370 | 2,825,000 | 11% | Jun-19 |
| Bulgaria | 8,620,000 | 2,360,000 | 27% | Sep-20 |
| Greece | 13,798,258 | 2,330,000 | 17% | Dec-20 |
| Eire | 8,308,000 | 2,155,000 | 26% | Aug-19 |
| Croatia | 4,630,000 | 1,395,000 | 30% | Oct-20 |
| Slovakia | 6,175,000 | 1,120,000 | 18% | Dec-20 |
| Slovenia | 2,734,600 | 895,000 | 33% | Oct-20 |
| Latvia | 2,691,000 | 751,000 | 28% | Jul-19 |
| North Macedonia | 2,277,808 | 726,200 | 32% | Feb-22 |
| Estonia | 1,920,947 | 650,000 | 34% | Nov-20 |
| Cyprus | 2,270,310 | 600,000 | 26% | Jan-21 |
| Lithuania | 4,822,962 | 571,000 | 12% | Jan-22 |
| Luxembourg | 982,000 | 374,100 | 38% | Oct-20 |
| Montenegro | 1,373,128 | 315,000 | 23% | Mar-22 |
| Malta | 757,000 | 305,000 | 40% | Could-21 |
| Iceland | 549,521 | 204,334 | 37% | Could-20 |
| Andorra | 119,933 | 29,800 | 25% | Dec-21 |
| Monaco | 40,275 | 20,850 | 52% | Jul-19 |
| Kosovo | 1,864,000 | 8,000 | 0% | This fall-23 |
| TOTAL | 705,828,992 | 189,765,643 | 27% |
Supply: TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database
In Q2 2024, Italy had an estimated 16 million 5G subscriptions from a market whole of round 77 million. The primary launches happened in June 2019, though the networks switched on by Vodafone Italy and TIM initially had very restricted protection. Each companies deployed networks protecting an estimated 85% of the inhabitants by mid-2024. WINDTRE, Iliad, and Fastweb are additionally providing 5G connectivity.
The following largest market is France, which had roughly 13 million 5G subscriptions at end-June 2024. The 4 community operators—Orange, Bouygues Telecom, Altice, and Free Cellular—break up the 5G subscription whole pretty evenly.
Quite a lot of main European cellular markets have but to see their first 5G community launches.
Quite a lot of main European cellular markets have but to see their first 5G community launches. These embody Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Serbia, Moldova, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Albania.
In June 2023, Russia’s Ministry of Digital Improvement, Communications & Mass Media proposed the creation of a single nationwide 5G community operator to deploy 3.5GHz infrastructure, which may very well be monitored by safety providers.
