Killer application of 5G not a single use case but use places

Telecom operators must offer differentiated 5G services to monetise the technology, focusing on "use places" like Indian Premier League matches or major concerts as much as use cases, says JASMEET SINGH SETHI, head of Ericsson ConsumerLab, in an interview with Subhayan Chakraborty in New Delhi. Tracking global trends for over two decades, ConsumerLab sees GenAI driving the next wave of 5G adoption in India. Edited excerpts:

- Subhayan Chakraborty

Ericsson's latest ConsumerLab report has focused on "use places," instead of traditional 5G "use cases". Could you elaborate on this approach?

The killer application of 5G isn't a single use case but use places. For example, crowded locations like stadia or events require extra capacity.

Operators can invest in temporary capacity for such venues and monetise it through partnerships or differentiated connectivity services without compromising baseline experiences for other users. If an operator introduces a premium subscription with higher speeds, additional capacity must be provisioned to ensure that premium users don't share resources with others.