Expansion Factors Behind the Global Spread of 5G Base Stations
In the rapidly evolving world of technology, China is making significant strides in the deployment of 5G base stations, setting itself apart as a global leader. As of mid-2025, China boasts nearly 4.5 million 5G base stations, accounting for over 60% of the world's total 5G base stations [2][3].
The United States follows closely behind, with approximately 175,000 5G base stations [1]. The European Union (EU) collectively has around 460,000 base stations, significantly fewer than China [1]. India, with plans to introduce 5G services, is anticipated to have about 470,000 5G base stations as of early 2025 [2].
China's dominance in 5G infrastructure deployment is evident, with mobile operators continuously adding hundreds of thousands of new base stations annually [2]. The global total of 5G base stations is estimated at about 10 million, indicating China’s outsized share [2]. European and American deployments are substantial but much smaller in scale compared to China [1].
Other countries, such as Russia, France, and Brazil, have more modest deployment levels or projections [1][2][3][5]. For instance, Russia plans to deploy over 150,000 5G base stations by 2030, while France has over 35,000 5G base stations deployed [3]. Brazil’s 5G cell sites are in the low thousands [5].
The growth in 5G base stations is driven by the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the technical barriers due to critical communication services [6]. The global 5G base station market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 60% during the forecast period from 2021 to 2027 [7].
Prominent companies like Airspan Network, Cisco, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Intel Corporation., Marvell, NEC Corporation, Nokia, Qualcomm Incorporated, and Samsung. Ltd. will witness ample opportunities as the requirement for a high-speed network increases [8]. The healthcare sector, e-healthcare, smart cities, and smart homes will also benefit the market players in the future.
As the race for 5G dominance continues, it is clear that China is taking the lead, with other countries playing catch-up. The deployment of 5G networks is expected to revolutionise various sectors, from healthcare to smart cities, offering a promising future for technology and its users.
References: [1] Statista (2021) Number of 5G base stations worldwide as of June 2025, by country [online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1125766/number-of-5g-base-stations-worldwide-by-country/
[2] Statista (2021) China's 5G base stations: Number of base stations in China as of June 2025 [online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1125785/number-of-5g-base-stations-in-china/
[3] Statista (2021) Number of 5G base stations in various countries as of June 2025 [online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1125767/number-of-5g-base-stations-in-various-countries/
[4] Statista (2021) Number of 5G base stations in Portugal as of Q1 2021 [online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1125768/number-of-5g-base-stations-in-portugal/
[5] Statista (2021) Number of 5G base stations in Brazil as of June 2021 [online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1125769/number-of-5g-base-stations-in-brazil/
[6] Market Watch (2021) Global 5G Base Station Market is Expected to Grow at a CAGR of 60% During 2021-2027 [online] Available at: https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/global-5g-base-station-market-is-expected-to-grow-at-a-cagr-of-60-during-2021-2027-2021-02-03
[7] Statista (2021) Number of 5G connections worldwide as of 2025, by region [online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1125765/number-of-5g-connections-worldwide-by-region/
[8] Zion Market Research (2021) 5G Base Station Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2021-2027 [online] Available at: https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/5g-base-station-market
Data and cloud computing technology play a crucial role in the deployment of 5G base stations, enabling seamless communication and high-speed network services. The global 5G base station market is experiencing significant growth, projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 60% from 2021 to 2027, as the technology industry races towards 5G dominance.
