(Telecompaper) The number of 5G subscriptions worldwide is set to reach the 1 billion mark in 2023, by which time the technology will cover more than 20 percent of the world's population, according to the latest of Ericsson's semi-annual mobility reports. The first commercial networks based on 5G New Radio (NR) are expected to go live in dense urban areas sometime in 2019, with major deployments from 2020. Early 5G deployments are foreseen in several markets, including the US, South Korea, Japan and China, said Ericsson, adding that total mobile subscriptions are set to reach 9.1 billion at the end of 2023.