The Asia Pacific (APAC) is expected to see a 2.8% annual growth in mobile communications services revenue, increasing to USD 346.1 billion by 2029. This growth is due to the rising number of mobile subscriptions and the expansion of 5G networks.
According to GlobalData, mobile data services will continue to be the main revenue contributor in the region, driven by the expansion and adoption of high average-revenue-per-user (ARPU) 5G services.
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GlobalData telecom analyst, Srikanth Vaidya, explained that, “with 5G services launched in almost all developed markets including Australia, China, Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea, and set to be launched soon in countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the revenue prospects for mobile data services will remain strong through the forecast period.”
Government support for 5G expansion will further boost the mobile data services market in the region. Countries like Australia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan have introduced national 5G strategies to promote 5G ecosystems and coverage expansions through initiatives such as public sector investments, tax incentives, industry-government collaborations, and spectrum use enhancements.
China is expected to be the largest 5G market globally, with 90% of mobile subscriptions forecast to be based on 5G networks by 2029. The country's efforts in expanding 5G coverage to rural areas and industrial parks, along with significant telco investments, will drive this growth. The average monthly data usage in the region is projected to increase from 25.1 GB in 2024 to 48.6 GB in 2029, fueled by 5G launches and expansions. The growing consumption of online video and social media content on smartphones, supported by data-centric service plans from mobile network operators (MNOs), will also contribute to this growth.
APAC is at the forefront of the 5G race, with countries like South Korea, Japan, and China focusing on developing the wider 5G ecosystem to support their manufacturing and IT industries, as well as drive Internet of Things (IoT)/machine-to-machine (M2M) opportunities. Vaidya concluded that, while the mobile data segment will continue to grow, mobile voice service revenue is expected to decline at a 5.7% annual rate as consumers shift towards over-the-top (OTT)/internet-based communication services.
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