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Telecom solutions provider Ericsson on Wednesday said that its intention to upgrade to 5G in urban India is two times higher than its counterparts in markets like the UK and US where 5G has already been launched.
In its latest report on the ‘Promise of 5G’ in India, carried out by Ericsson ConsumerLab, the company said that over 100 million users with 5G-ready smartphones wish to upgrade to a 5G subscription in 2023 while more than half of them are open to upgrading to a higher data tier plan in the next 12 months.
The study carried out in the second quarter of this year reflects the views of 300 million daily smartphone users in urban India, it said.
Consumer preference
It said that 5G network superiority could emerge as a driver for consumer loyalty with 59 per cent of smartphone users intending to upgrade to 5G in the first 12 months. Within those who plan to upgrade to 5G, 36 per cent plan to churn to the best provider of the 5G network when it is available.
It further said that 60 per cent of early adopters who already have a 5G-capable phone expect 5G to bring new innovative applications, which are considered more appealing than better coverage. These users are even willing to pay a 45-per cent premium for a plan bundled with novel experiences provided their expectations are met.
“Even as 5G will provide immersive experiences to urban customers, it will also play an important role in achieving India’s digital inclusion goals, especially in bringing broadband to rural and remote homes,” said Nitin Bansal, Head of Ericsson India and Head of Network Solutions, Southeast Asia, Oceania and India, Ericsson.
Ericsson also announced the introduction of ultra-lightweight Massive MIMO 32T32R radios as the best fit for India’s needs — AIR 3219 and AIR 3268 (Antenna Integrated Radio). These 5G radios, which will be produced in India, are energy efficient and come with coverage-enhancing features such as an uplink booster that make them very relevant for a densely populated country like India.
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