Canadian telecoms need to do more to teach Canadians about 5G: study

Canadian telecoms demand to do more to teach Canadians nigh 5G: study

The report says that 20 percent of Canadians with a 5G smartphone still use a 4G subscription

5G on an Android phone

A new ConsumerLab report from Ericsson, one of the main providers of 5G network equipment in North America, says Canadian telecom companies need to practise more than to educate Canadians well-nigh 5G.

To starting time, ConsumerLab gathered data in what it form "the biggest-e'er 5G consumer study." The study represents the opinions of 1.3 billion smartphone users, which includes 22 million smartphone users in Canada and 220 million 5G users globally.

ConsumerLab also set the stage for 5G in Canada, noting that the country is still "early on in 5G adoption" with "currently more than 500,000 5G devices already in the hands of Canadians."

"By the end of 2023, 5G could penetrate the bulk of existing coverage, providing an amazing opportunity for Canadians," says ConsumerLab.

Nonetheless, ConsumerLab also found that Canadians are confused virtually 5G, writing that 20 percent of Canadians with a 5G-ready phone nevertheless use a 4G subscription. Additionally, 15 percent of people using a 4G smartphone claim they're continued to a 5G network.

ConsumerLab lays the blame on telecom companies for not doing enough to differentiate 4G and 5G subscriptions. While this sort of makes sense, Bell, Rogers and Telus also say on their corresponding websites that plans include 5G access. I'd argue the bigger culprit is that 5G effectively doesn't exist in a meaningful manner in Canada, and won't until carriers offset rolling out access to newly caused iii,500MHz spectrum.

A pocket-sized personal chestnut here is that my limited testing of Bell'due south 5G network in Whitby, Ontario revealed it to exist a 4G LTE connexion despite using a 5G phone and having the '5G' symbol in the status bar (running the aforementioned test once more today on my Pixel 6 shows I'm still actually connected to Bell's 4G network).

ConsumerLab goes on to say that half of 4G users think 5G is "either rarely available or available less than 30 percent of the time." Increasing the availability of 5G would get a long way to changing that perception.

Finally, ConsumerLab says that a quarter of smartphone users in Canada look their provider to switch to 5G, or volition wait at most half-dozen months before moving to a provider that does. ConsumerLab also said half of Canadian smartphone users would be willing to pay at least $10 more per month for 5G services.

I'thou not so sure near that concluding part, however. Canadians already pay incredibly loftier rates for net and wireless service, and nearly people would like to see their bills come downwards, not increment. Maybe that will change once actual 5G becomes more readily bachelor, but until and so, I'd save that extra $ten.

Those interested can check out the total ConsumerLab report hither.