By 2030, 5G is projected to account for ** percent of all internet connections in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In 2024, only around * percent of connections in the region were using 5G networks.
5G overview
The fifth-generation technological standard for broadband cellular networks is recognized as 5G. It is defined by a wider bandwidth and lower frequencies. Its defining aspects include extremely low latency, or the delay between transmitting and receiving information, and higher download speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second, which is comparable to 10 to 100 times the speed of 4G technology. The Middle East and North Africa region's share of worldwide 5G subscribers was predicted to be over ** percent in 2019, with around ** million subscriptions by 2025. Nonetheless, there were certain reservations about the adoption of a new technology that had just been released, including compatibility with existing phones, increasing membership rates, and unequal coverage.
GCC technology adoption
Investments in technological advancement, particularly in 5G technology, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, have surged into Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. 5G solutions were released in the region in 2019 and were the focus of smartphone users and gaming businesses in 2020. In 2019, the bulk of the public in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia expressed a readiness to use 5G connections as soon as they became available in the market, while just approximately ** anticipated favorable feedback after implementation. When it comes to the speed at which new technologies are adopted in the Middle East, the region outperforms the rest of the globe. Local governments' strong top-down approach support this.
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GSMA Intelligence. (January 14, 2026). Distribution of mobile technology in the Middle East and North Africa in 2024, with a forecast for 2030, by type [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Retrieved July 14, 2026, from /statistics/1190183/mena-mobile-internet-technology/
GSMA Intelligence. "Distribution of mobile technology in the Middle East and North Africa in 2024, with a forecast for 2030, by type." Chart. January 14, 2026. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Accessed July 14, 2026. /statistics/1190183/mena-mobile-internet-technology/
GSMA Intelligence. (2026). Distribution of mobile technology in the Middle East and North Africa in 2024, with a forecast for 2030, by type. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 14, 2026. /statistics/1190183/mena-mobile-internet-technology/
GSMA Intelligence. "Distribution of Mobile Technology in The Middle East and North Africa in 2024, with a Forecast for 2030, by Type." ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc., 14 Jan 2026, /statistics/1190183/mena-mobile-internet-technology/
GSMA Intelligence, Distribution of mobile technology in the Middle East and North Africa in 2024, with a forecast for 2030, by type ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, /statistics/1190183/mena-mobile-internet-technology/ (last visited July 14, 2026)
Distribution of mobile technology in the Middle East and North Africa in 2024, with a forecast for 2030, by type [Graph], GSMA Intelligence, January 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1190183/mena-mobile-internet-technology/