31 million users in India seen upgrading to 5G phones in 2023: Ericsson survey

As many as 31 million users in India are expected to upgrade to 5G phones in 2023, amid an accelerated adoption of the ultra high-speed services in the country, according to a report by Ericsson.

5G users in India outpace global counterparts in daily adoption of apps.

In India, 5G has elevated the overall network satisfaction by an "impressive" 30% compared to 4G, Ericsson Consuner Lab's Global Survey showed.

"According to the study, based on tech attitudes and affordability, 31 million users could upgrade to 5G phones in 2023. This presents a vast opportunity for further 5G adoption in the country," it said.

5G users in India stand out for their high daily engagement with apps, such as streaming high-definition video, video calling services, mobile gaming and augmented reality.

On an average, they spend two hours more per week using these services compared to users in other early adopter 5G markets such as the US, the UK, South Korea, China and many others.

"Moreover, India's 5G satisfaction levels and perceived 5G availability match or surpass those in early adopter markets. India boasts a remarkable 13 per cent higher share of very satisfied 5G users compared to the early adopter market average," it said.

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, the survey by the Swedish telecom gear maker noted.