Indonesians are more likely than other global consumers to pay more to access 5G

YouGov’s latest report examines behaviours and attitudes towards 5G in 17 key markets

New data from YouGov’s telco report shows great disparity in 5G adoption across the globe.

The whitepaper titled ‘The International Telco Report 2021’ broadly examines the demographics, behaviors and attitudes towards 5G products among 18,803 respondents in 17 countries.

Currently, only 26% of consumers in the 17 surveyed markets have 5G-enabled smartphones; half (52%) do not and 18% are unsure whether their smartphone is 5G enabled or not.

While ownership is the highest in China (55%), Hong Kong and Indonesia also join the areas where at least a third of respondents currently own a 5G device. Other Asian countries such as India (32%) and Singapore (26%) make for a telling contrast with the US (26%), Germany (17%), the UK (16%) and France (16%), that lag behind the Asian countries in terms of 5G adoption.

Compared to the rest of the world, Asians have a favorable view of the 5G network. This is particularly true for Indonesians. Recently, Indonesian operators have begun rolling out limited 5G deployments in the face of a severe spectrum shortage, and many operators are likely to join the bandwagon soon. While 5G’s arrival is delayed in the country, there seems to be great anticipation among residents.

Our research shows Indonesians stand out in several respects in future intentions. Data reveals Indonesians are more likely than consumers in any other country in our study to be willing to pay more to access 5G (60%).

Indonesia is also more likely than any other country to say they are likely to get a 5G tariff in the future (84%, ahead of China with 79% and India with 75%).

Furthermore, sharing an optimistic view about the future of 5G, more than four out of five (83%) Indonesians agreed with the statement ‘5G will change how people connect to the internet. They were much more likely to say this as compared to 46% of Germans, 44% of Americans, 40% of French respondents, and 39% of British respondents.

Having said that, Indonesians do have some concerns about the technology and 39% of respondents said they were worried about 5G networks. While this could be worrying, it also translates into an opportunity for telcos to increase sales by improving communication about the benefits of 5G and its safe use.

Speaking about the whitepaper Duncan Stark, Global Sector Head of Telecoms at YouGov, said, “YouGov data shows that while 5G may be the future of connectivity, it has yet to catch on at scale, with massive variation in adoption and attitudes across global markets. Our research shows that a major barrier network providers need to overcome is convincing consumers about the benefits of 5G. This is an area where accurate data can help companies in better targeting consumers who currently either lack knowledge or are skeptical about adopting the technology.”

Who are the dedicated, highly engaged early 5G adopters – and how can companies and brands effectively target them? Download the full report and find out.