The 5G revolution is underway, with providers around the world racing to offer faster, more reliable wireless service. According to recent data, the number of 5G subscriptions is growing by 1 million per day and is expected to pass the 1.5 billion mark soon. There are now more than 130,000 providers offering 5G service deployments worldwide. But what’s next for this rapidly evolving technology?

The application potential is dizzying: 5G’s faster speeds and higher bandwidth will make augmented reality, immersive gaming, and seamless videoconferencing everyday experiences, not only with always-on laptops but smartphones as well.

5G technology will also open the door to IoT and real-time services by providing a feasible and secure way to link to the devices and things around us to save money, save time and save lives.

But that’s what analysts think. We wanted to get a sense of what developers think. To do so, Arm surveyed more than 300 developers from its ecosystem, who focus on developing 5G/wireless technologies and services. The survey revealed not only the profound opportunities that lie ahead but some of the challenges that our ecosystem must confront first.

One of the most notable findings was the strong demand for 5G technology. Half of the respondents predicted that 5G products and services would constitute 51-75% of their telecommunications sales by 2027. This suggests that there is significant interest in the technology, and that providers will continue to invest in its development and deployment.

That tracks with analysts’ forecasts. But what else? Without giving away the store, the survey also revealed:

• Open RAN’s potential.
• The cloud-based infrastructure is more important than we think.
• CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) – that staple of America trucker culture in the 1970s – has caught developers’ imaginations.
• What applications developers think 5G will impact initially.

What else? 

Respondents weighed in on concerns like costs, what the optimal bands for 5G deployments might be, what’s holding up deployments and much more. 

Arm delivers value in the 5G network infrastructure by way of innovative semiconductor IP solutions and software for 5G infrastructure, including processors, system-on-chips (SoCs), and other critical components for next-generation networks through its extensive partner ecosystem.

Arm also drives the development of open standards for 5G networks, the transition to a cloud-native infrastructure for 5G networks, and security frameworks such as PSA Certified to ensure trust throughout the development process.

This is a snapshot of some remarkable insights developers gave us in the survey. Click here to read the full, insights-filled report.