Back31 mn Indians may upgrade to 5G phones in 2023
About 24% of 5G consumers expressed a clear preference for differentiated quality of service over 5G.
PremiumNew Delhi: Nearly 31 million users in India are expected to upgrade to 5G phones in 2023, and 39% are willing to pay more for higher data usage on 5G plans, a report by Ericsson Consumer Lab's Global Survey said.
About 24% of 5G consumers expressed a clear preference for differentiated quality of service over 5G. "Rather than settling for generic, best-effort 5G performance, these users are actively seeking elevated and consistent network performance, especially tailored for demanding applications and specific key locations. The research shows that one in five smartphone users are willing to pay an average premium of 14 percent for 5G rich app bundled plans or QoS-led offerings," said Jasmeet Singh Sethi, head of Ericsson Consumer Lab.
The survey's findings may concur with demands of telcos such as Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel which want users to pay more for the data that they use beyond certain limits. With 5G still being offered at the same tariffs as 4G services, the demand for premium pricing for 5G services may just become shriller on the back of the findings by the Swedish gear maker.
The survey also identifies several 5G use cases that resonate with Indian consumers and are willing to pay a premium for these. Some of these services include 3D/AR Books Digital Library, 5G Creator Package, 5G Optimized Mobile Gaming, Immersive Replays, Enhanced Event Experience etc.
With a substantial portion of the population ready for 5G, the opportunities for innovation and growth in the Indian market are immense. Even as app experience is emerging as a key factor in driving satisfaction with 5G, 5G has elevated the overall network satisfaction in India by an impressive 30% compared to 4G, Singh added.
The survey also found that 5G performance in important locations significantly influences user satisfaction and switching decisions. Users experiencing connectivity issues at event venues are three times more likely to consider changing service providers in the next six months. Conversely, a positive 5G experience at key locations, such as in transit or at home, can boost satisfaction by four times.
“Given the rapid 5G adoption in India, the growing data traffic and the launch of fixed wireless access or FWA offers by service providers, we expect mmWave to be the foundation for the next wave of 5G growth the country," said Nitin Bansal, head of Ericsson India and Head of Network Solutions, South- east Asia, Oceania and India.
Ericsson said that 5G users in India spent two hours more per week on average using apps or services such as streaming HD video, video calling services, mobile gaming and augmented reality compared to users in other early adopter 5G markets such as US, United Kingdom, South Korea, China and many others. India boasts a remarkable 13% higher share of very satisfied 5G users compared to the early adopter market average. Overall satisfaction increases by a substantial 30% when transitioning from 4G to 5G, with higher download speeds playing a key role in driving this satisfaction.
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