Mobile phone users show little interest in 5G
Published on: Saturday, October 28, 2023
By:
FMT, Rex Tan
.jpg "Mobile phone users show little interest in 5G")
Mobile phone users said their 4G network services were currently sufficient for their needs and they had little desire to upgrade to 5G. (Reuters pic)
PETALING JAYA: Despite mobile network providers actively promoting affordable 5G network data plans, an FMT survey found that mobile phone users are not planning to upgrade from 4G anytime soon.
Renushah Devi Vickneshwaran, a doctor, told FMT she had no need for the 5G network’s high internet speed on a day-to-day basis as she used her phone for simple tasks such as making calls, messaging and light internet browsing.
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“I do not intend (on paying) even more than I’m already paying now. I’m already paying RM110 for 50GB (of data each month) and that’s more than enough for me,” the 32-year-old said.
Ng Hock Soon, 50, said he was not considering switching to the 5G network although he understood that it would not cost much to upgrade.
“I don’t need (to) use 5G, because the 4G network is sufficient for me,” the owner of an outdoor recreational equipment retail shop said.
Ng added that he selected his network plan based on his internet usage and he was not using any technology that required ultra-high-speed internet.
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During the street interviews, FMT found that only one person was using the 5G network.
College student Ahmad Badzly Idraki Zamri, 19, said the 5G network made downloading large files and editing videos more efficient.
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Meanwhile, the interviewees viewed 5G as a mere upgrade in connection speed, but did not seem to be aware of other key features, such as real-time connection capabilities and energy saving options.
On Sept 8, communications and digital minister Fahmi Fadzil said Malaysia’s 5G adoption rate remained low at 4.2% despite network coverage reaching 68.8%.
His ministry was reportedly working closely with telcos and Samsung to provide affordable 5G devices for Malaysians.
The 5G Rahmah package launched by the government includes a device priced as low as RM240, together with a 60GB data plan priced at RM60 a month.
Lack of ‘killer apps’ for consumers
Meanwhile, former deputy international trade and industry minister Ong Kian Ming told FMT that the low take-up rate for the 5G network among members of the public was due to the lack of “killer apps”.
“If applications on 5G phones were necessary to plug into VR-related software for popular games or for watching live sports events, the demand for 5G phones would increase,” he said.
Julian Gorman, the Asia-Pacific head for the UK-based Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), said the government should undertake market research to gain insight into factors that would impact consumer and business decisions in mobile phone usage to increase the 5G network’s conversion rate.
“What we’ve learned from other markets is that there’s no statistical correlation between take up and population coverage, beyond there being a larger addressable market. While some of the big global drivers for usage are affordability and awareness,” Gorman added.
The government has been pursuing 5G for several years amid some controversy, including the creation of Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB), a special-purpose vehicle established in March 2021 under the finance ministry to undertake the nationwide deployment of 5G.
A Reuters report published in November 2021 quoted several sources as saying none of the local mobile players had agreed to use Putrajaya’s 5G network, citing transparency and pricing issues.
It took a further 12 months before some telcos agreed to sign up to the government’s rollout model.
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