Asia Pacific the usage gap will remain a new report by GSMA. It should be noted that broadband networks cover around 96 per cent of the population in the region. However, just 44 per cent of the population (1.23 billion users) are using mobile internet service.Reasons for this discrepancy include lack of digital skills, affordability and online safety concerns. “Addressing the usage gap and extending the benefits of the internet to more people in society is critical,” said GSMA’s Head of Asia Pacific, Julian Gorman. “However, it will require a concerted effort by a broad range of stakeholders, working together with mobile operators and other ecosystem players such as device manufacturers and digital content creators, to drive adoption and overcome the barriers we see today.”
5G is commercially available in 14 markets, including India and Vietnam, going live in the coming months. It should be noted that mobile technologies and services continue to make a significant contribution to Asia Pacific’s economy, generating 5 per cent of GDP in the region in 2021, which equates to around $770 billion of economic value. The report reveals that the mobile internet including 3G and 4G services raised approximately 8.8 million jobs in 2021 and made a substantial contribution to the funding of the public sector, with around $80 billion raised through taxation.
“Progress is more advanced in countries like Australia, Japan and South Korea and in Singapore 5G is expected to account for 55 per cent of the country’s connections by 2025,” the company in its report said.
Report also highlights the various 5G use cases and other related activities in the region. South Korea has plans to spend $186.7 million to create its metaverse ecosystem, and Thailand’s Tourism Authority leveraged the technology to boost tourism in the country, and it is placing its bets on 5G services.
data-hungry India, the upcoming 5G auctions will herald another telecom revolution. It goes beyond super-fast downloads and uploads, or glitch-free video calls, live streaming, and real-time gaming. 5G holds the promise of a tech utopia — from automated cars, to robotic surgeries and much more futuristic technology. 5G may also end the monopoly of telecom companies over telecom services as the government is allocating spectrum to private enterprises too, a move that has become controversial. But that could be just a teething trouble. It’s the biggest spectrum auction with 72,000 MHz up for grabs.
The government has been pinning its hopes on a bumper earnings from 5G spectrum sale to bolster its revenues, but experts suggest it should temper its expectations and not expect a repeat of 4G spectrum auctions.
5G spectrum auctions are scheduled to begin on July 26, 2022.
All the three leading telcos – Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea – have tested their networks and demonstrated that they are 5G ready. But the government has been pushing back the auctions – to settle the ongoing issue of AGR dues.
India’s telecom ministry and regulator sprung into action to speed up the auction process. But, its first roadblock came in after the telcos petitioned the government for a 90% cut in base spectrum prices. However, the government cut them only by 40%.
The government is banking on spectrum auctions to fill its coffers, at a time when fiscal deficit in April and May has shot up to 12% of the budgeted estimate, as opposed to 8% in the same period last year.
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