IMC 2022: Airtel expects ultra-affordable 5G smartphones to come next year

The lower cost of smartphones could attract more users to sign up for 5G services, the next generation of wireless technology that’s expected to change how we work and live. Right now, the hype around 5G is all about speed. A full HD movie could be downloaded in just 12 seconds, thanks to enhanced speed. But there are other advantages of 5G like reduced latency and greater bandwidth.

At the India Mobile Congress, which claims to be Asia’s largest technology forum, Airtel made its 5G services live in eight cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi and Bengaluru. The operator, however, has yet to announce tariff plans for 5G services. “For a common person, 5G will enable users to do those remote things in a more resilient way and fix the challenges that we have today,” Sekhon said.

In a recent study by the Swedish network gear maker Ericsson, over 100 million smartphone users, with 5G phones, want to upgrade to a 5G subscription in 2023. India is likely to have 70 to 80 million 5G smartphones by the end of 2022, according to market trackers. The smartphone market in India is expected to reach 1 billion users by 2026 with rural areas driving sales of internet-enabled devices, a Deloitte study claims.