LONODN—As 5G rolls out internationally, a new report from IHS Markit has found that there quarters of U.S. consumers say they will expand their video streaming activity as they adopt the new technology.
When asked to name which types of activities they are likely to increase due to the arrival of 5G, consumers ranked video streaming first, ahead of video calling, social media, mobile gaming, virtual reality and augmented reality, according to the survey. As a result, the deployment of 5G will help cause video usage to account for 70% of mobile network traffic in 2022, up from 47% in 2015, said IHS.
“The promise of faster video streaming through 5G is generating enormous enthusiasm among consumers,” said Joshua Builta, senior principal analyst for IHS. “Interest is particularly high for those younger than 50, with 81% of survey respondents in that age range citing video streaming as the top activity for 5G. Consumers are expressing strong interest in video streaming both on smartphones and for home internet services, which are equally supported by 5G.”
The results are part of IHS Markit’s Digital Orbit report. The survey was conducted May 22-27, 2019, among 2,031 respondents, 95% of whom were U.S.-based.
