Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), OECD Digital Economy Outlook 2024 (Volume 2; Paris: OECD, 2024).
Commentary: Fifth generation (5G) wireless technology has become widely available in many developed countries and most of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations. Since being rolled out in 2018 in the United States, 5G has spread internationally, and as of 2023, 37 of the 38 countries in the OECD have 5G connectivity in some capacity, up from 25 countries in 2022. United States leads the OECD in 2023, overtaking South Korea for the first time, with 68.4 connections per 100 inhabitants, compared to 63 connections in Korea. Finland (58), Australia (57), and Japan (56) lead the rest of the OECD. 5G technology is about 10 times faster than 4G and 3G wireless networks, performing at peak speeds of up to 20 gigabits per second (Gbps). As of 2023, 5G connections make up 31 percent of mobile connections in OECD countries.
