13% of Smartphone Users Would Spend More for 5G Service, Says Parks

Smartphone users don't see 5G value over their current subscriptions, with 13 percent saying they’re willing to pay more for 5G, said Parks Associates' Craig Leslie Tuesday. Over half of U.S. broadband households are unfamiliar with 5G, he said: Limited availability means it won’t replace 4G LTE or fixed services “anytime soon.” Carriers need to communicate benefits and uses of 5G more effectively to convince customers to upgrade, said the analyst. Still, it's a “significant influencer” in carrier selection, Leslie said, “even if consumers are unwilling to pay more” -- 31 percent of U.S. broadband households consider 5G availability very important when choosing a new provider. U.S. broadband households buying a smartphone fell 40 percent from Q1 2016 to this Q1.