Saudi Mobile Market to Reach USD 17.4 Billion by 2030 as 5G Grows

Saudi Arabia’s mobile services market is projected to reach USD 17.4 billion by 2030, according to a new forecast by market intelligence firm GlobalData. The sector, valued at approximately USD 13.9 billion in 2025, is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 4.5 %, driven largely by rising mobile data usage and wider 5G adoption.

According to the analysis, revenue from traditional mobile voice services is expected to decline at a CAGR of 3.4% between 2025 and 2030. That drop reflects lower voice-average revenue per user (ARPU) as consumers increasingly favour internet-based communication platforms over conventional calls.

At the same time, mobile data services are forecast to grow significantly, at a CAGR of 6.6%. Industry experts attribute this to the expanding use of high-bandwidth online entertainment, social media, remote work and other data-intensive applications on smartphones.

The shift from 4G to 5G is expected to accelerate during this period. While 4G remains dominant through 2026, 5G is projected to take over shortly after, with forecasts showing 5G subscriptions capturing up to 93% of total mobile connections by 2030.

Mobile operators and telecom providers in Saudi Arabia are already ramping up infrastructure investments in response to these trends. The growth outlook is closely aligned with national digital transformation efforts and the country’s broader agenda to diversify the economy and expand its digital services infrastructure.