Multinational telecommunications and networking technology firm Ericsson South Africa has prioritised the enterprise and fintech vertical markets while responding to demand for networking infrastructure and connectivity – this as Africa's digital transformation continues to be driven by AI, cloud computing and mobile technology.
Speaking at the company's Imagine Live South Africa 2026 event, held at its Midrand headquarters this week, Siseko Ngxola, cluster head at Ericsson South Africa, said the company has intentionally focused on the enterprise vertical.
"This is one of the verticals that is going far beyond general connectivity – which was just plain voice and data – to now create efficiencies in industrial operations," said Ngxola.
He said this market closely aligns with another key focus area for Ericsson: mission-critical enterprise ICT.
The company is also focusing on enterprise transformation in the mining sector and ports management, which continue to invest in network development and a move away from traditional WiFi.
Mobile broadband
Ericsson is monitoring Africa's high-growth mobile broadband market, which it identifies as the fastest-growing region for mobile connections, as well as the role of AI in supporting connectivity, particularly the development of 6G networks.
Anette Lundvall, strategic marketing manager at Ericsson, outlined findings from the company's June 2026 Mobility Report and discussed the company's technology roadmap as markets adapt to AI and data-driven digital transformation.
The report examines several trends, including growth in 5G subscriptions, the use of AI to support the transition to 6G, continued growth in mobile network data traffic during the first quarter of 2026, and the increasing share of traffic carried by 5G networks.
According to the report, the number of 5G subscriptions has surpassed 3 billion, with 5G networks now carrying 50% of global mobile data traffic.
However, despite progress in overall 5G and 5G mid-band coverage, half the world's population outside mainland China still lacks 5G coverage. In Africa, both overall 5G and 5G mid-band coverage stand at 10%. By 2031, global 5G coverage outside mainland China is expected to reach 85%.
The report found that adoption of fixed wireless access (FWA) continues to increase, with about 70% of FWA service providers now offering the technology over 5G. According to Ericsson, FWA is a key 5G monetisation use case.
Mobile network data traffic increased by 22% between the first quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026. During the same period, the proportion of FWA service providers offering services over 5G rose to 71%, from 57% a year earlier.
Ericsson forecasts that 5G subscriptions will surpass 4G globally in 2027. By 2031, 4G is expected to account for 46% of mobile subscriptions, while 5G is forecast to represent 28%.
The company expects 180 million 6G subscriptions by the end of 2031, excluding early adoption of AI-enabled devices such as autonomous vehicles, smart glasses and drones.
The report states that the first commercial 6G services are expected to be launched in 2030, although deployment timelines will vary by region and country.
AI's role in enterprise transformation
The report found that enterprises increasingly view AI as essential to digital transformation, but few have deployed the technology at scale across their organisations.
Ericsson said that while AI is driving digital transformation, continued progress will depend on robust mobile networks and cloud capabilities.
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