5G home internet challenges NBN, but mass shift still a way off
Most Australians who have 5G are content with it, yet few actively seek it out or plan to switch in the short term, a study from RMIT University has found.
The national survey of 2,112 people revealed about one-third had not even heard of 5G home internet, despite early claims it would affect the NBN's market share. Instead, 5G is quietly spreading through routine phone upgrades, with most consumers viewing it as background infrastructure rather than a must-have technology.
Lead author Associate Professor James Meese from RMIT said it was a "quiet revolution," with 5G arriving through routine upgrades rather than big consumer shifts.
"What we're seeing is 5G by default, not 5G by demand," he said. "It was sold as a tech revolution, but most people are not rushing to upgrade. Once they do, though, they are significantly more satisfied with their mobile service."
Australians with higher incomes or postgraduate qualifications were more likely to use 5G, but users and non-users were otherwise broadly similar. Dissatisfied customers were more inclined to upgrade, with 36% of those unhappy with coverage and 37% unhappy with data speed saying they were likely to move to 5G in the next year.
About half of the people who had upgraded said their costs were similar to before, while one in four reported higher bills. Those not yet on 5G were generally not looking to switch, with most expecting they would only move when their existing plans ran out.
Meese said although some customers were substituting 5G home internet for the NBN, the overall shift was modest rather than widespread.
"Even with 5G home internet on the rise, our data suggests the NBN will remain the backbone of Australia's fixed broadband for some time yet," he said. "For most households, 5G home internet is something they may consider in future rather than a trigger to abandon their existing fixed-line connection today."
The study also looked at whether people were using 5G mobiles to replace home broadband via hotspotting. Only 6% of respondents used their mobile hotspot regularly, with the majority, 55%, saying they only switched it on occasionally. Occasional hotspotting was mostly used as a backup when fixed-line internet failed or was too slow, rather than as a full substitute for home broadband.
Overall, a lack of awareness of 5G mobile and home internet was found to be behind the slow uptake, along with people not seeing any real benefits from the technology.
Meese said the next step is to monitor whether changing prices and new applications finally turn today's quiet 5G transition into something closer to the revolution that was promised.
More information:
James Meese et al, 5G and Consumer Adoption: The Quiet Revolution (2025). DOI: 10.25439/rmt.30615446
Provided by RMIT University
