GSMA: China to Surpass 1.7 Billion 5G Connections by 2030

China currently accounts for more than 40 per cent of total global 5G connections, and the country’s number of 5G connections is expected to surpass 1.7 billion by 2030, according to an industry report released on Tuesday ahead of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Shanghai. The Mobile Economy China 2026 report, compiled by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), detailed that this scale means China is not only a leader in 5G adoption but is also defining the potential that advanced cellular networks can realise. As network coverage expands and capacity increases, the focus is shifting from connecting more users to supporting higher-performance, more intelligent, and more differentiated services, the report stated. This transition is marked by the commercialisation of 5G-Advanced services in over 330 cities across mainland China, laying a stronger foundation for mobile artificial intelligence (AI), immersive consumer services, enterprise digitalisation, and more capable public infrastructure. The report also outlined that mobile technologies and services in China generated economic value of $1.5 trillion in 2025, contributing approximately 7.2 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product that year, and are projected to reach $2.1 trillion by 2030. ‘These figures reveal the story of an industry that has moved beyond connectivity into something far more pervasive: a platform for productivity, AI-based services, and sustainable economic growth,’ said Sihan Bo Chen, Head of Greater China at GSMA. MWC Shanghai, scheduled to take place from 24 to 26 June this year, is the largest and most influential connectivity ecosystem event in Asia, where global leaders and innovators will share their vision for the future of connectivity at the flagship event in eastern China.