A new study by Nokia Networks claims that out of the 25 percent 3G-capable handsets in India, only 45 percent of the smartphones are being used for the network. The report also declared Mumbai to be the city with the highest 3G penetration rate among the major metros.
The Nokia survey evaluated over 650 million consumers, which covers 65 percent of India’s mobile user base. 14.8 million of them possessed 4G-ready phones, but the subscription rate was found to be fairly low. According to the findings, 3G services grew by 26 percent in the past 6 months. However, saturation is currently at 24.59 percent in the country.
Nokia Networks head of technology India Amit Marwah thinks this is a huge opportunity for telecom operators to tap into. As per PTI, the company’s report determined that Mumbai took the top spot in terms of 3G penetration, followed by Delhi, Kolkata, Kerala, Punjab and Kolkata. The cities with the lowest rates consist of West Bengal, Bihar, UP (East), Assam and Odisha.
Marwah observed that differential pricing had not worked anywhere across the globe, including India. 3G tariffs were very high when the service was 1st introduced, but have now dropped down to 2G levels. He gave Airtel as an example of a brand selling 4G at 3G costs. He further believes there is a chance subscribers may jump directly to the LTE network.
Also See: 4G LTE phone sales grow by 2400 percent, Xiaomi sees massive fall in India
This will be made possible by the value of 4G devices going down from the Rs 8000 mark to the Rs 4000 level within the next few months. Marwah predicts LTE handsets will spread rapidly across India in 2016, and emphasized the importance of providing a high-quality service to match expectations.