Ericsson has been one of the names often associated with telecom network connectivity around the globe. With their instrumental role in the deployment of 4G and now 5G technology across the globe, Ericsson has been the driving force behind seamless connectivity that often goes unnoticed by the end user. Recently, in Delhi, the company unveiled their report titled "5G Value: Turning Performance into Loyalty." During this momentous occasion, I had the privilege of engaging in a brief yet insightful conversation with Ms. Stella Medlicott, Ericsson's Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, and Head of Corporate Relations.
Q: How does the demand for 5G look in India compared to other markets?
We've observed, the rollout of 5G in India has been the fastest when compared to other global markets. Currently, if we examine the statistics, we anticipate 5G subscriptions worldwide reaching approximately 1.5 billion by the end of this year. And it's evident that this growth is happening at a remarkable pace. In the past two years, among the top 20 markets that have implemented 5G, there has been a noticeable 7 percent increase in revenue. This trend is likely to become more prominent as we witness an expansion of bundled services alongside 5G. In terms of data consumption, the global average currently stands at around 20GB per month. In contrast, in this region, we are already witnessing an average of 26GB per month, and this is projected to increase substantially to 62GB per month by 2028.
Q: So can you provide any insight, like you were saying globe global scenario as compared to Indian scenario in terms of early 5G adoption? Like, are there any key differences you will see?
So, what we see is, by the end of 2022, there were 10 million 5G subscriptions in India. And, with the research that we are doing, it is expected to reach 700 million by the end of 2028. So, we have noticed that the India market is really rolling out 5G much faster. It is the fastest rollout that we are seeing globally, which is really exciting. As we foresee, 57 percent of mobile subscriptions in the country are expected to be on 5G by 2028 which will make it the fastest growing market. Further, the total number of smartphone subscriptions in India is expected to grow from 76 percent in 2022, up to 93 percent by 2028.
Q: With 5G, what kind of engagements you can see between brands and end users of 5G? Is there any difference you see how brands and end consumers will engage? Is there any marketing perspective?
If we just think of elements such as augmented reality, where you can start to sort of build more and more data that's coming in, it's just sort of looking at various different pieces. And some of these are already happening today. What you'll start to see is, you could, e.g., if you want to buy a piece of furniture and see what it’s going to look like in your room, the technology is there where you can start to sort of build an overlay what that furniture would look like in your room. Every connected device, in effect, is a marketing device. And so, this is really where we see, there is so much opportunity for marketers now to take advantage of 5G technology and start to think about how to position their brands in front of their audiences.
Q: The way Indian users have been using 5G for the last year or so, is it something that you weren't expecting?
So firstly, it's the appetite that Indian users have for the technology. But also, when we start to look further, there are these different apps that are being used a lot for creating content, as well as sharing content. And so, I think it's really showing that sort of creativity of using technology and the creative spirit sort of build and move these pieces forward. E.g., from a sporting event’s perspective, what we are seeing globally, we are also now noticing in India. There's this strong demand for being able to get a lot more data and information and have that whole experience of not just watching an event live.
Q: Any closing remarks, any highlight key points you may have missed, or would like to add, including something from your campaign?
Ericsson has been in India for 120 years. Yes, so it's a quite a long heritage that we have within the Indian market. I think the other message that I would really want to emphasize on is the speed with which India is deploying 5G. I think it is phenomenal. I think it's going to really have an influence on other markets as well with respect to the apps and the innovation that will come out of the market. The other point is the population in India is a very digital savvy population. We will start to see a lot of innovation just coming from that side and this whole entrepreneurial spirit. It will evolve on the back of 5G. Also, Rolling out an awareness-building campaign around new technologies like 5G was crucial for the successful adoption and integration of the next generation technology into the society. Ericsson's 'Imagine Possible' India campaign emphasises on the company's mission and vision within the Indian context.
