While it may seem 5G is taking a long time to roll out, new data shows deployment is moving along much faster than its predecessors.

According to 5G Americas, citing research by Omdia, 5G adoption has actually far outpaced previous generations of wireless technology. For example, “it took roughly 10 quarters, or until Q1 2012, for 4G LTE to reach 17.9 million connections – roughly where 5G is today. 3G did not reach that mark until December 2010, after 11 Quarters and 2G reached it in December 1995, after 14 quarters.”

As a result, the 17.7 million 5G connections globally in Q4 2019 represent a 329% growth rate over the previous quarter. Even more impressive, that number is five million subscribers ahead of projections.

“We truly had a great year in 2019, as 5G adoption has surpassed most forecasts,” said Chris Pearson, President, 5G Americas. “With the first year of 5G completed, 2020 is shaping up to be focused on the growth of new 5G devices, increasing coverage, increasing network densification, and probably the first 5G Stand Alone deployments.”

The research is good news for the 5G industry and customers alike, especially given the revolutionary speeds the technology promises.