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The total mobile data traffic in Southeast Asia and Oceania will grow seven times from 2.3 exabytes (EB) in 2018 to 16EB by 2024, according to new findings.
The Ericsson Mobility Report anticipates that monthly data traffic per smartphone is expected to grow at 29 per cent from 3.6GB to 17GB during the forecast period, with almost 12 per cent of subscriptions in the region expected to be 5G by the end of 2024.
“Mobile video traffic is fuelling the total data traffic as users are spending more time streaming and sharing video,” said Martin Wiktorin, head of Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines at Ericsson. “This is expected to continue, as video is embedded in all types of online content.
"As 5G is gradually rolled out with compatible devices being successively introduced, streaming 360-degree videos and augmented/virtual reality will start to be a significant factor in mobile traffic growth."
This report is based on 1500 interviews with smartphone users aged between 15 to 69 years old. Statistically, the views of these participants are representative of almost four million people in Singapore.
It is highlighted in this study that 53 per cent of smartphone users in Singapore believe augmented reality glasses to be the norm by 2025. Consumers are expected to spend an additional three hours watching videos on mobile devices by 2025, out of which one hour will be on AR / virtual reality (VR) glasses.
Based on consumer predicted future usage patterns, heavy usage smartphone users in Singapore could be consuming as much as 200GB monthly by 2025.
In Singapore, the average smartphone user is ready to pay 52 per cent premium for top selected 5G services. The consumer expectation in the country is that services such as smart home sensors and 5G TVs will be the top two applications to be made available in a 5G plan.
With growing consumer awareness around 5G, the average respondent believes that the next generation of cellular mobile technology will become a reality within two years.
Furthermore, 5G uptake is expected to be faster than expected, with coverage forecast to reach 45 per cent of the world’s population by the end of 2024. This could surge to 65 per cent, as spectrum sharing technology enables 5G deployments on LTE frequency bands.
Communication service providers in several markets have switched on 5G following the launch of 5G-compatible smartphones.
Service providers in some markets are also setting more ambitious targets for population coverage of up to 90 per cent within the first year.
The strong commitment of chipset and device vendors is also key to the acceleration of 5G adoption. Smartphones for all main spectrum bands are slated to hit the market over the course of 2019.
As 5G devices increasingly become available and more 5G networks go live, over 10 million 5G subscriptions are projected worldwide by the end of 2019.
“5G is definitely taking off and at a rapid pace,” said Fredrik Jejdling, executive vice president and head of networks at Ericsson. “This reflects the service providers’ and consumers’ enthusiasm for the technology.”
“5G will have a positive impact on people’s lives and businesses, realising gains beyond the IoT and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. However, the full benefits of 5G can only be reaped with the establishment of a solid ecosystem in which technology, regulatory, security, and industry partners all have a part to play."
