As the wireless industry moves deeper into the 5G-Advanced era and steadily toward 6G, this quarter reinforced how quickly technology and policy are converging. Global 5G connections have now surpassed 2.6 billion, up 37 percent year over year, with the world on track for nearly 9 billion connections by 2030. North America continues to set the global pace, reaching 339 million 5G connections and 88 percent population coverage in Q2 2025, on track to surpass 100 percent coverage by year’s end.
Against that backdrop, 5G Americas released a new white paper, Enabling Intent-Based Autonomous Networks, highlighting the shift from manually engineered systems to networks that can understand intent, automate operations, and adapt in real time. This is a practical step on the road to AI-native connectivity, where intelligence is built into the fabric of the network, not added as an overlay.
Yet none of this progress is guaranteed without the right spectrum foundation. The need for a durable mid-band and high-band pipeline is increasingly urgent as operators prepare for advanced automation, AI-driven services, and tighter satellite-terrestrial integration. Spectrum policy is not a parallel track. It is the enabling layer for the capabilities that define 5G-Advanced today and 6G tomorrow.
This quarter also underscored North America’s innovation-first trajectory. As adoption and usage accelerate, our region is demonstrating how 5G networks become AI-ready, programmable, and open to non-terrestrial integration. From AI-orchestrated RAN and energy-aware operations to seamless terrestrial and satellite experiences, North America is shaping how next-generation networks are built, deployed, and monetized.
As we continue to publish thought leadership and convene stakeholders, our mission remains clear: to ensure that North America has the spectrum, policies, and innovation environment needed to lead in 5G-Advanced now and to set the pace for 6G in the years ahead.