NEW DELHI: India's 5G users are spending two hours more per week on the Internet than people from other countries, according to a study by telecom gear maker Ericsson. The report also noted that around 14 per cent of users are willing to pay for innovative use cases and differentiated 5G connectivity.
"5G users in India stand out for their high daily engagement with apps, such as streaming HD video, video calling services, mobile gaming, and augmented reality. On average, they spend two hours more per week using these services compared to users in other early adopter 5G markets, such as the US, United Kingdom, South Korea, China, and many others,” reads the report.
India rolled out 5G services on October 1, 2022, during the India Mobile Congress event. According to the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) data, Indian telecom operators as of 28 August 2023 had deployed over 3,38,572 5G BTS, covering almost the entire country.
The report also mentioned that India's 5G satisfaction levels and perceived 5G availability match or surpass those in early adopter markets. The country boasts of a 13 per cent 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.
According to the report, Indian consumers are willing to pay a premium for services that include 3D/AR books, a digital library, a 5G creator package, 5G optimized mobile gaming, immersive replays, and an enhanced event experience, among others.
Nitin Bansal, Head of Ericsson India and Head of Network Solutions, Southeast Asia, Oceania and India, says: "Given the rapid 5G adoption in India, the growing data traffic and the launch of FWA offers by service providers, we expect mm-Wave to be the foundation for the next wave of 5G growth the country. Ericsson's advanced and more energy efficient portfolio being launched in India will enable the country to meet the capacity and performance requirements of the networks in India."