As 5G rolls out across the US, about 1 in 5 (22% of) Americans are getting the bulk of their information about the technology via advertisements from mobile network providers. A recent YouGov survey of more than 28,500 US adults found that sizable portions of Americans are also getting most of their information about 5G from social media and the news (each at 15%).
While many Americans are looking forward to 5G’s faster data transfer and better connectivity, there are some who are not interested in the technology or have security concerns. Of those uninterested in the technology, 1 in 5 are relying on ads for information about 5G. A similar portion of those with security concerns – about 11% of those who don’t plan to upgrade service – are also mainly getting information from advertisements (20%). However, individuals with security concerns about 5G are more likely than the general public and those uninterested in 5G to get their information from the news (22%, 16% and 15%, respectively)
Mobile provider advertising does not appear to be reaching the younger generations like it has for older adults. In fact, only 16% of both Gen Z and Millennials say their main source of information about 5G is ads, compared to 24% of Gen X and 31% of Baby Boomers. Instead, the younger generations are getting their information from social media (main source for 24% of Gen Z and 22% of Millennials),
It is worth noting that although word-of-mouth is usually a top source of product information, only 8% of all respondents say word-of-mouth from friends, family or colleagues is where they receive the most information about 5G.
Finally, there is a fair share of consumers who have yet to hear any information about 5G technology (20%). While similar shares across generations haven’t heard information about 5G, this is most common with Baby Boomers who, YouGov notes, are most likely to also not be interested in the technology.
About the Data: Results come from a YouGov survey of 28,568 US adults.
