5G Tech a Gateway to the Metaverse: Ericsson report

October 31, 2022

By Anjali Kochhar

A new study has shown that users that have 5G data services have been spending more time in the metaverse and extended reality apps, and believe these will migrate to headsets in the next two years.

Ericsson, the Swedish telecom hardware and services company, issued a study that deals with the effects powerful data transmission tech — like 5G — have on the adoption of the metaverse and extended reality tech.

The study, which includes Ericsson’s tracking data since 2019, surveyed 49,000 consumers in 37 countries and is said to be representative of the opinions of 1.7 billion users worldwide.

Data from the study further revealed that users of 5G are more interested in immersive technologies than their 4G counterparts. 5G users are already spending one more hour per week on metaverse-related platforms and services as compared to 4G users.

Also according to the report, 5G tech is expected to reach 510 million consumers this year, so this metaverse adoption is also expected to grow accordingly.

At a global level, six out of ten 5G adopters believe that this technology is “essential” for the metaverse to reach its full realization. Carriers can benefit from the bundling of their own metaverse applications with 5G plans, according to the study.

However, users of 5G data believe one thing according to the study: The metaverse will surely migrate to other, more immersive platforms in the future. The survey found that half of the 5G customers that are already using metaverse and extended reality apps believe these services will migrate to XR (extended reality) headsets in the next two years.

About the author

Anjali Kochhar covers cryptocurrency stories in India as well as globally. Having been in the field of media and journalism for over three years now, she has developed a sharp news sense and works hard to present information that goes beyond the obvious. She is an avid reader and loves writing on a wide range of subjects.