89% of users intend to upgrade to a 5G network

sohini.bagchi@livemint.com

New Delhi

With telecom operators set to roll out 5G services soon, 89 per cent of consumers are enthusiastic and say they “intend to upgrade” to the network, according to a survey. In its recent consumer survey, Ookla, a network intelligence and connectivity insights firm, however, noted that while 5G brings with it the promise of better internet speeds (about 10 times faster than 4G) and connectivity, there are issues such as affordability, coverage and consumer education. Factors The challenges of early adoption for 5G will remain.

“The perceived cost of 5G tariffs is a primary reason for people refusing to adopt 5G,” Ookla said. For example, more than 25% of those not planning to upgrade said they thought 5G tariffs would be too expensive, while Ookla researchers said 24% cited a lack of 5G knowledge as a problem, and 23% mentioned not having a 5G enabled phone.

However, there is growing enthusiasm among Indian consumers for 5G adoption and 70% of the respondents said they would increase their use of video streaming, while 68% said they would promote their mobile gaming. Operators acquired a total of 44,960 MHz of spectrum in the 26 GHz spectrum band (mmWave), which is particularly useful for streaming and gaming due to its high throughput.

Sylvia Kecchiche, principal analyst for enterprise at Ookla, said, “Mobile users in India are among the most data-intensive users in the world, but India’s 4G/LTE networks have become a barrier to demand. The promise of 5G is this.” That it will unlock a world of possibilities beyond just a fast network connection.”

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