5G is beginning to reduce Wi-Fi use. Early adopter 5G users spend two hours more on cloud gaming and one hour more on augmented reality (AR) apps per week compared to 4G users, according to a new report by Ericsson ConsumerLab.
5G users are satisfied with speed. About 70 percent are dissatisfied with the availability of innovative services and new apps. Consumers are willing to pay 20 to 30 percent more for 5G plans bundled with digital service use cases.
Five ways for CSPs to meet consumer expectations
# addressing the knowledge gap by educating and better marketing the value of 5G to consumers
# ensuring consistent quality of indoor and outdoor 5G coverage
# adapting to network requirements for new 5G services
# focusing on consumer intent to envision new 5G use cases
# accelerating availability of existing and new use cases through partnerships
Jasmeet Singh Sethi, Head of ConsumerLab, Ericsson Research, says: “With Ericsson ConsumerLab’s five recommendations and insights, CSPs can encourage 5G adoption and meet consumer expectations.”
Indoor coverage is one of the focus areas to emerge from the consumer research, with one-in-five 5G smartphone users already reducing Wi-Fi use on their phones indoors because of the benefits of 5G mobile connectivity.
Covering consumer sentiment and perception in 26 markets – including the US, China, South Korea, and the UK – the Ericsson ConsumerLab study methodology is representative of 1.3 billion smartphone users globally, including 220 million 5G subscribers.
A key report finding reveals that even by the end of 2020, increased awareness of service and value benefits could have resulted in 22 percent more smartphone users with 5G-ready handsets upgrading to 5G subscriptions.
Vast majority of 5G early adopters’ regular experiences with the technology have been indoors due to Covid-19 lockdowns and movement restrictions.
Early adopters indicate that indoor coverage is two times more important than speed or battery life in delivering satisfactory 5G experiences.
