U.S. Mobile Consumers and 5G: Are they ready?

All three major U.S. mobile operators have spent billions over the last few years investing in their mobile networks in order to provide a 5G service, but do U.S. mobile consumers care and are they ready to jump to 5G? And do mobile consumers perceive a difference between the three major operators’ networks? This market study provides answers to these questions with data from a survey of U.S. mobile consumers.

This market study looks at U.S. consumers’ awareness of 5G and likelihood to upgrade, using results from iGR’s October 2020 survey of over 1,000 U.S. mobile consumers. The report also measures consumers’ willingness to pay for the service and analyzes their motivations. All results are further analyzed according to the mobile operator of the survey respondents, as well as many demographic variables.

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Key Questions Answered

• How aware are U.S. consumers of 5G in general? Are they aware of the 5G deployment where they live?
• How likely are U.S. consumers to buy a 5G phone and upgrade to 5G service in the next year?
• How does awareness and likelihood to upgrade differ for the customers of the three major U.S. mobile operators: AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless?
• How does awareness and likelihood to upgrade differ according to demographic variables, such as age and income?
• How does awareness and likelihood to upgrade differ according to where consumers live, both in terms of the region of the U.S. and the type of area – rural, urban or suburban?

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Who Should Read

• Mobile operators
• Mobile infrastructure vendors
• Device OEMs
• Content providers and distributors
• Financial analysts and investors.

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Table of Contents

• Abstract
• Executive Summary
  • 5G Awareness
  • Perceptions of Biggest and Best
  • 5G Expectations
  • Likelihood to Upgrade to 5G
  • What This Means
• Methodology
• 5G Awareness and Perceptions
  • Actual Status of 5G in the U.S.
    • AT&T
    • T-Mobile
    • Verizon Wireless
  • 5G Awareness
  • U.S. Consumers’ Awareness of Type of 5G in their Area
  • Perceptions of Biggest and Best
• 5G Expectations
• Likelihood to Upgrade to 5G Service and Willingness to Pay
  • Why Upgrade to 5G?
  • Willingness to Pay for 5G
• Likelihood to Purchase a 5G Phone and Willingness to Pay
  • Willingness to Pay for 5G Phone
• Interest in 5G Home Internet and Willingness to Pay
  • Willingness to Pay for 5G Home Internet
• A Word about Verizon Wireless
• Survey Demographics
  • Demographic Profile of U.S. Consumer Respondents
• Definitions
• About iGR
  • Disclaimer

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List of Tables

• Table A: Likelihood to Upgrade to 5G in the Next Year
• Table 1: 5G Awareness
• Table 2: 5G Awareness, by Mobile Operator
• Table 3: 5G Awareness, 2019-2020
• Table 4: Awareness of Types of 5G
• Table 5: Perception of U.S. Mobile Operators’ 5G Networks
• Table 6: Perception of U.S. Mobile Operators’ 5G Networks – AT&T Only
• Table 7: Perception of U.S. Mobile Operators’ 5G Networks – T-Mobile Only
• Table 8: Perception of U.S. Mobile Operators’ 5G Networks – Verizon Wireless Only
• Table 9: Perception of U.S. Mobile Operators’ 5G Networks – Other Mobile Operators Only
• Table 10: 5G Expectations among U.S. Mobile Consumers
• Table 11: 5G Expectations, by Mobile Operator
• Table 12: Likelihood to Upgrade to 5G in the Next Year
• Table 13: Reasons to Upgrade to 5G with Current Mobile Operator
• Table 14: Reasons to Upgrade to 5G with Different Mobile Operator
• Table 15: Willingness to Pay More for 5G
• Table 16: Likelihood to Purchase New 5G Phone
• Table 17: Price Willing to Pay for a 5G Phone
• Table 18: Interest in 5G Home Internet
• Table 19: Price Willing to Pay for 5G Home Internet
• Table 20: Respondent Age
• Table 21: Respondent Gender
• Table 22: Respondent Marital Status
• Table 23: Respondent Ethnic Background
• Table 24: Respondent Annual Household Income
• Table 25: Respondent Level of Education
• Table 26: Size of Household
• Table 27: Age of Children in Household
• Table 28: Respondent Region
• Definitions Table

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List of Charts

• Figure A: Likelihood to Upgrade to 5G in the Next Year
• Figure 1: 5G Awareness
• Figure 2: 5G Awareness – Aware and Very Aware, by Mobile Operator
• Figure 3: 5G Awareness, 2019-2020 – Aware and Very Aware
• Figure 4: Awareness of Types of 5G
• Figure 5: Perception of U.S. Mobile Operators’ 5G Networks
• Figure 6: Perception of U.S. Mobile Operators’ 5G Networks – AT&T Only
• Figure 7: Perception of U.S. Mobile Operators’ 5G Networks – T-Mobile Only
• Figure 8: Perception of U.S. Mobile Operators’ 5G Networks – Verizon Wireless Only
• Figure 9: Perception of U.S. Mobile Operators’ 5G Networks – Other Mobile Operators Only
• Figure 10: 5G Expectations among U.S. Mobile Consumers
• Figure 11: 5G Expectations, by Mobile Operator
• Figure 12: Likelihood to Upgrade to 5G in the Next Year
• Figure 13: Reasons to Upgrade to 5G with Current Mobile Operator
• Figure 14: Reasons to Upgrade to 5G with Different Mobile Operator
• Figure 15: Willingness to Pay More for 5G
• Figure 16: Likelihood to Purchase New 5G Phone
• Figure 17: Price Willing to Pay for a 5G Phone
• Figure 18: Interest in 5G Home Internet
• Figure 19: Price Willing to Pay for 5G Home Internet
• Figure 20: Respondent Age
• Figure 21: Respondent Gender
• Figure 22: Respondent Marital Status
• Figure 23: Respondent Ethnic Background
• Figure 24: Respondent Annual Household Income
• Figure 25: Respondent Level of Education
• Figure 26: Size of Household
• Figure 27: Age of Children in Household
• Figure 28: Respondent Region

For additional information on the U.S. Mobile Consumers and 5G: Are they ready? market study, please contact Iain Gillott at (512) 263-5682 or by email.