Villages crunched for bandwidth with 17 per cent internet coverage

Wireless networks will drive Internet adoption for nearly 750 mn Indians who still don’t use Internet, said the Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) report. “In future, demand for fixed broadband services would be limited to consumers with higher bandwidth/QoS requirements for accessing services like gaming, HD video, etc,” the report added. 

Newer technologies like LTE and 5G will make wireless internet commercially more viable due to decreasing cost per bit. When it comes to mobile devices, the smartphones will consolidate its position as the primary access to digital service and content. 

“The secret to the smartphone’s success over the next five years is likely to be the introduction of an array of innovations that are largely invisible to its users but whose combined impact should feel tangible,” the report noted. The introduction of “smart feature phones”, would usher in a new wave of mobile services uptake in the country by both the urban and rural consumers. 

“There is likely to be an increased range of sensors included on smartphones in 2023, and existing sensors are likely to be upgraded. One additional sensor that may become mainstream over coming years is a forward-facing infra-red camera,” the report predicted.  

The increasing penetration of mobile Internet and smartphones will propel the digital payments industry to grow to $500 billion by 2020. “Mobile wallets with their ease of use and convenience will see an upward trend. However, it will be extremely important for the wallet providers to innovate to reach out to the non-internet user base,” it added. 

Globally, over 60 pc of all broadband subscribers will utilise Voice over LTE (VoLTE) technology surpassing five billion subscribers globally by 2023. The report also estimated that more than 90 pc of all mobile subscribers will comprise broadband subscribers by 2023.