Swedish telecommunication company Ericsson, in a recent report commissioned by ConsumerLab, has found that about half of all smartphones used in Indonesia are incompatible with 5G, delaying the mass adoption of the next-generation network in the country by at least a few years. 

Ericsson Indonesia’s network solutions head Ronni Nurmal said the need for 5G coverage had yet to become a priority since most smartphones used in the country were still technologically incompatible with the network.

However, the report shows that smartphone users in the country have eagerly anticipated 5G as they gained more knowledge regarding the technological requirements for the next-generation network. 

“Our Indonesian consumers expect to have 5G coverage in the next two or three years, thanks to their increased awareness of the network,” Ronni said on Tuesday as quoted by tempo.co. 

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The report also predicts that video consumption will change dramatically in the advent of 5G. Users will not only be able to watch videos in higher resolutions, but they will also be able to opt for a more immersive viewing experience through augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies. 

“Gone are the days of watching videos on smartphones; 5G users will actually be immersed in the videos,” Ronni said, adding that 5G would also enable the development of cutting-edge innovations such as foldable phones, holographic projections and 360-degree cameras. (rfa/mut)