5G market enters selective and strategic phase of development | Computer Weekly

The 5G mobile market is moving beyond its initial land-grab phase and into a period shaped more by network quality, architectural maturity and service differentiation, according to a study from the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA).

The State of the market report – from the industry association representing companies in the global mobile ecosystem engaged in the supply of infrastructure, semiconductors, test equipment, devices, applications and support services – was based on market data taken up until the end of March 2026.

Among the key findings of the research was the underlying dynamic that global 5G expansion is still advancing, but the story is no longer just about adding more launches to the map, and the more meaningful story is how it is broadening.

It reported that 392 operators have now launched 5G networks, up 14% from March 2025, reflecting 44% of total LTE and 5G networks. Spectrum was found to remain as the essential enabler of the next phase of 5G growth, and beyond that, 6G.

Indeed, the study showed that over the past year, 11 5G auctions have been completed across the world, for an average price of $663.4m. And as of the end of March 2026, there were 4,256 announced 5G devices in the market, up 24% from last year. In comparison, total LTE devices totalled 29,024.

5G Standalone was becoming the clearest marker of market maturity. Some 95 operators had launched a 5G Standalone service, highlighting a growth of 42% since the first quarter of 2025. Development of 5G Advanced networks was seen to still be at an early stage, but the GSA stressed that its growth rate makes it one of the clearest signals of where the market is heading next. In total, 35 operators are investing in 5G Advanced, an increase of 71% since 2025. Of these operators and providers, 11 have launched a service.

Looking at one of the key use cases of 5G networks, one the industry has long held to offer future prosperity, the study found that private mobile networks continue to demonstrate that 5G’s opportunity extends well beyond public consumer services. The manufacturing vertical is a strong adopter of mobile private networks, with 374 identified customer deployments, followed by the education and academic research sector, with 169 customers deploying it.

Yet despite the prospects from private 5G, the GSA’s report identified Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) as one of 5G’s strongest and most visible commercial success stories. The study found 394 operators who have launched a 5G fixed wireless service, with another 29 investing in the technology, an increase of 59% since June 2025.

The report also tracked the rapid growth of satellite-enabled mobile connectivity, which it said is moving from experiment to early commercial reality. Some 97 operators are investing in satellite-to-cell phone connectivity, and eight available chipsets are compatible with the technology.

Commenting on the study’s findings, Joe Barrett, president of the GSA, said: “The global 5G market is entering a more selective and strategic phase of development … This shift is most clearly visible in 5G Standalone, which now underpins much of the industry’s next wave of innovation, including 5G RedCap, network slicing and more advanced enterprise offers … These trends all point to a market that is no longer defined simply by how many 5G networks exist, but by what those networks are becoming.

“5G in 2026 will be shaped by standalone adoption, ecosystem readiness and the ability of operators to translate technical capability into commercial value.”