The Ericsson ConsumerLab carried out the largest consumer 5G research dubbed the 5G: The Next Wave. More than 49,000 consumers in 37 countries were interviewed in the research. The survey scope is representative of the opinions of about 1.7 billion consumers worldwide, including 430 million 5G subscribers.
In their study, they identified six key trends related to 5G:
- 5G adoption to be inflation resilient: At least 510 million consumers across 37
markets are likely to take up 5G in 2023. - The demanding next wave of users: The next wave of 5G users have high
expectations on 5G performance, especially network coverage, compared to early
adopters — who care about new innovative services enabled by 5G. - Perceived 5G availability is emerging as the new satisfaction benchmark among
consumers. Geographical coverage, indoor/outdoor coverage, and congregation hot-
spot coverage are more important to building a user perception than population
coverage. - 5G is pushing up the usage of enhanced video and augmented reality. Over the past two years, time spent on AR apps by 5G users has doubled to two hours per week.
- 5G monetization models are expected to evolve: Six in 10 consumers expect 5G
offerings to move beyond more data volume and speeds to on-demand tailored
network capabilities for specific needs. - 5G adoption is setting the path to the metaverse. 5G users on average are already spending one hour more per week on metaverse-related services than 4G users. They also expect two hours of more video content will be consumed weekly on mobile devices, 1.5 hours of which will be on AR/VR glasses by 2025.
For Malaysian consumers, Ericsson found out that people here are eager to get their hands on 5G. The study stated that 43% of users in the country intend to sign up for a 5G subscription in 2023 with 25% already having a 5G-ready device. (Remember that most smartphones sold nowadays are 5G-capable, but not all 5G devices are compatible with DNB’s 5G networks.)
They expect about four million Malaysians will sign up for 5G in 2023. While one in every five early adopters expects innovative applications, almost twice as many 5G potential users are looking for strong network coverage.
Also, 87% of the 5G users in Malaysia consider innovative 5G experiences to be an important inclusion on their mobile broadband plans.
As of 30 September, the 5G rollout in Malaysia has only reached 33.2% of populated areas, and the six major telcos have yet to sign the 5G access agreements, with the deadline set at the end of this month. Currently, only one telco, Yes, is offering commercial 5G services.
If you want to read more about Ericsson ConsumerLab’s report, you can go to this website.
