What do early adopters think of the 5G network experience?

The rollout of 5G is unlocking a whole new world of possibilities for society. Not just an improved network connection, 5G is likely to enable life-altering advancements that were once the stuff of science fiction. But while speeds and availability of 5G have been making headlines, it is also important to understand 5G early-adopter emerging expectations and how they perceive the 5G network experience.

We conducted more than 1,600 interviews with smartphone users in the Canadian market which has active commercial 5G networks. Our findings show that service providers need to be more aware of what consumers want to accomplish with 5G and be more innovative in offering new experiences to consumers.

In Canada, we found that 16 percent of consumers could sign up for 5G in 2021, amounting to an estimated 3 million 5G users in 2021. However, there are several factors that might influence adoption including device availability, network evolution and innovative apps, but overall, Canada is still in its infancy in 5G adoption.

The value of 5G

Overall, Canadian users that have 5G devices are very pleased with the speed of these devices, but currently believe the experience to be similar to 4G today in Canada. They are satisfied with speeds, but not fully satisfied with innovative applications available today.

Canadian consumers are confused about what 5G offers them and what it means in general. While consumer awareness is strong, heavy tech jargon used in 5G marketing often muddles understanding of its value, device capabilities and offerings. However, it is believed that the new spectrum bands and new innovative applications that can leverage the benefits of a 5G network will greatly impact adoption and experience.

5G is changing usage behavior

5G is triggering first-time usage of cloud gaming and enhanced video usage in Canada. Of the 5G consumers in Canada, 37 percent either started streaming cloud gaming, or increased their usage while 28% reported the same for high-definition video —as the speeds have been needed to provide an enhanced experience.

If you build it, they will come

In addition, the study showed that when users believed that 5G coverage was available in their city or town, they were five times more likely to upgrade their device. Accelerating 5G coverage and availability is likely to drive adoption and consumer demand.

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Overall, there is significant interest in what 5G can bring to Canada, and users are ready to embrace innovative applications, services and devices that leverage the greater speeds, efficiency and lower latency that 5G offers.