Viavi: Global 5G deployments to grow by more than 20% in 2021

Viavi Solutions Inc. released a new study on June 28 showing that the pace of 5G technology deployment is accelerating, with coverage expanding to four additional countries and 301 cities around the world since the beginning of the year.

According to the mid-year update of Viavi’s report, “The State of 5G,” the new total (1,662 cities in 65 countries) represents an increase of more than 20% so far in 2021, with 5G deployments now entering their fifth year.

According to the latest research, the top three countries with the most cities covered by 5G are China (376), the United States (284), and the Philippines (95), surpassing South Korea, which currently ranks fourth with 85 cities.

Viavi said the Asia-Pacific region maintained its lead with 641 cities, followed by the Europe, Middle East and Africa region with 623. The Americas region lagged behind with 398 cities.

The company noted that with the launch of commercial 5G services in four more countries (Cyprus, Peru, Russia and Uzbekistan), more than a third of the world’s countries now have at least one live 5G network.

However, the report found that the quality and speed of connections can vary from region to region, depending on available spectrum.

“While we are seeing a significant increase in the number of networks launching, not all 5G technology is created equal,” said Sameh Yamany, chief technology officer at Viavi. “Networks operating in low, mid and high bands perform very differently in terms of coverage and throughput, which increases the importance of network assurance and optimization to consistently deliver on the promise of 5G.”

The mid-year update to the Viavi 5G State of the World report is available for download here

The company noted that the data was compiled from public sources and is provided for informational purposes only as part of Viavi’s practice of tracking trends to enable cutting-edge technology development, thereby enabling communications service providers to maximize their 5G network deployments.