'Over 3 crore users likely to upgrade to 5G phones in 3 months'

Over 3 crore users in India are expected to upgrade to 5G technology in the next three months, taking the overall number to over 10 crore by the end of this calendar year as significant improvement in network speed without any extra cost boosts adoption of the new technology, an industry survey showed.

According to the Ericsson Consumer Lab survey, the 5G satisfaction level in India is 13% higher than the early adopter market average including countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, China and South Korea.

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, Jasmeet Singh Sethi, Head of Ericsson Consumer Lab, told reporters.

On the estimate for the number of users upgrading to new telecom technology, Sethi said it is based on tech attitudes and affordability.

As per the survey, conducted among 50 million 5G users and 250 million consumers across tier 1-3 cities in India, one in five users are willing to pay a 14% premium for innovative services and differentiated 5G connectivity.

“About 24% of 5G consumers polled express a clear preference for differentiated Quality of service (QoS) over 5G. Rather than settling for generic, best-effort 5G performance, these users are actively seeking elevated and consistent network performance,” Sethi said.

The survey also identified several 5G use cases that resonate with Indian consumers and are willing to pay a premium for these.

Nitin Bansal, Head of Ericsson India, said 5G technology would contribute significantly to Ericsson’s revenue growth and expansion in India. “We don’t release country-wise data, so I can’t say how much, but India is a very significant market for Ericsson,” he added.