Ericsson touts development as data usage skyrockets

Ericsson predicts Thailand's consumption of data usage will soar from 35 gigabytes per month per subscription this year to 67GB by 2030, driven by streaming on the 5G network and a wave of innovations, especially generative artificial intelligence (AI) apps.

- KOMSAN TORTERMVASANA

To fully realise the potential of 5G, Ericsson urges operators to continue to deploy a 5G standalone (SA) network and build mid-band sites, said Anders Rian, head of Ericsson Thailand.

Thailand is the leader in Southeast Asia for 5G penetration, comprising 25% of total mobile subscriptions last year thanks to its position as a 5G first mover in the region as well as the continuous growth of mobile broadband usage, noted the company.

5G subscriptions in Southeast Asia and Oceania are expected to reach 630 million by 2030, contributing around 49% of total mobile subscriptions in the region by then.

Data traffic per smartphone is expected to grow from 19 GB/month in 2024 to 38 GB/month by 2030.

In Thailand, 5G has become a significant driver of data consumption and increased average revenue per user.