5G for all: MediaTek dials in on affordable phones

Fabless Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek aims to lower the prices of 5G mobile devices powered by its chipsets to the ₹6,000-7,000 range, making it easier for subscribers to switch to 5G.

- SURAJEET DAS GUPTA

Anku Jain, managing director of MediaTek India, says, "We already have chipsets that power phones priced at ₹7,499, like the Poco M6 5G, one of India's most affordable 5G phones. We understand that India is a price-sensitive market, and we are working to offer even more affordable 5G experiences. We hope to serve users in the ₹6,000-7,000 price bracket soon."

This move could drive wider adoption, as firms like Ericsson have said that 5G uptake in India can rise if the prices of 5G phones fall below $100. Jain adds MediaTek already powers over four models priced below ₹10,000.

Currently, there are 134 million 5G subscribers in India, but according to GSMA Intelligence projections, this figure is expected to rise to 641 million by 2030 — meaning half of India's population will be on 5G. Presently, only 18 per cent of the population uses 5G phones.

Jain notes that while the overall smartphone market has been cooling, he expects the transition from 4G to 5G in India to take another three years. Over 77 per cent of the smartphones shipped in the second quarter (Q2) of calendar year (CY) 2024 in India were 5G-enabled, supported by falling average selling prices as chip companies released more budget-friendly chipsets.