In what it is claiming to be the largest global 5G-related consumer survey in the industry to date, Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) shows that Canadian consumers are ready to bring 5G into the mainstream. The report issued last week says that four million smartphone users plan to upgrade to 5G services over the next 12-15 months.
Smartphone users in Canada have had 5G network service available since 2020, and the 5G user base has seen a sixfold increase over the past two years. Conducted by Ericsson ConsumerLab, 5G: The Next Wave found 17 percent of 4G users intend to upgrade to a 5G subscription. Additionally, eight in 10 current 5G users in Canada don’t want to return to 4G. However, consumer knowledge around 5G and its benefits needs more work, as 15 percent of users claim they are on 5G but use a 4G handset while another 18 percent own a 5G capable device but have not upgraded to a 5G subscription.
Jasmeet Singh Sethi, Head of Ericsson ConsumerLab, says: “We’ve seen globally that the 5G user base starts to shift towards more demanding mainstream users when more than 15 percent of smartphone users in the market have made the switch to 5G. These mainstream tech adopters are more value-conscious and have higher expectations than early adopters driven by new technology. The Canadian results and global trends identified by this report suggest we’re on our way towards the next wave of 5G. As 5G becomes the mainstream, service providers need to get ready for more customers looking to get even more out of their 5G experience.”
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