China most 5G-ready, to become biggest market by 2025: reports

China is currently leading the global race to rollout 5G technology, and is expected to be the biggest market in the world in terms of 5G connections, according to recent forecasts on global mobile service growth.

A 5G sign at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain on February 28, 2018. [File Photo: VCG]

According to a report from CTIA, an American wireless industry association, China is the country with the most advanced preparations for the 5G era and has the most developed wireless market, followed by South Korea and the United States. The report says that China is leading the 5G race thanks to a combination of industry momentum and government support.

Meantime, in its latest Global Mobile Trends report, the GSM Association (GSMA) says the number of global 5G connections is expected to reach 1.2 billion by 2025, and that China will be the largest market by then. China, the United States, Japan, and Europe will account for more than 70 percent of the global 5G market with nearly 900 million connections. 

The GSMA report points out that China will be the source of the largest growth in mobile revenue, accounting for around 40 percent of the global total between 2017 and 2025. And 5G technology is expected to support emerging technologies including Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things.

China is working towards commercializing 5G technology by 2020. All of the country's major domestic network operators have committed to this timeline and are conducting extensive trials of the new technology. Meanwhile, the government has opened up significant amounts of mid- and high-band spectrum for their use.