5G Prices in India To Be Similar to 4G; Here’s What Experts Say?

India is on the verge of rolling out 5G services as soon as next month. Leading telecom operators Reliance Jio and Airtel have confirmed their plans to roll out 5G services in the country from October. While there is huge anticipation on how much 5G would cost in India, recent reports suggest that these telecom operators will price their 5G services similar to 4G.

As per a report by the Economic Times, Airtel and Jio are likely to launch their 5G services at a similar price to their existing 4G services. Citing industry executives and analysts, the report suggests that if 5G services are priced similarly to 4G, then it will encourage mass adoption of the next-generation services in the country.

5G Won't Cost a Bomb in India

The report notes that telecom operators are unlikely to offer 5G services at a premium in the nascent stages as they will look forward to pushing 4G users to adapt to the next-gen services. The report claims that experts hint that telcos might consider a premium pricing of 5G at a later stage, after acquiring a specific user base to establish a difference between 4G and 5G services. However, this is not going to happen anytime soon, as 5G smartphones are relatively more expensive than 4G phones.

What Experts Say About 5G in India?

The report cites Rohan Dhamija, India head at Analysys Mason stating that 5G operators are unlikely to charge a premium over 4G rates initially as the first goal would be to drive 5G adoption, help consumers experience faster speeds, and drive ARPU growth. He stated that in the UK, 5G services were launched at a premium to 4G, but the premium was withdrawn as this strategy hindered the adoption of 5G.

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The report cites a top executive of a Big 3 telecom operator stating that the companies will be mindful in pricing their 5G services as a premium cost will turn off users Also, Kunal Vora, head of India equity research at BNP Paribas, stated that 5G adoption levels will take a jolt if the telcos price these services higher than 4G.