Is the UK ready for 5G?

The technical development of 5G and its potential for enabling a wide range of use cases seems to indicate that it could have a transformative effect on many of the UK’s industries – from transport and manufacturing to sport and entertainment. However, is the UK ready for 5G? and will making this happen be straightforward? There are numerous variables like coverage, availability of standards, demand and investment that could affect the availability of 5G-enabled services.

Is 5G ready for the UK?

That’s the theme of this white paper: what we might like 5G to deliver versus when and whether it might actually happen. This paper’s origins lie in our work with UK5G, the national innovation network dedicated to the promotion of research, collaboration and the industrial application of 5G in the UK.

It all began with UK5G recognising that bridging the gap from the supply side to demand side ecosystems was needed. How to ensure the actual needs in the sectors were addressed by new 5G use cases promoted by the 5G developer communities. Then UK5G ran a number of workshops with vertical industries or sectors, looking at their requirements. Four sectors were deemed most promising and thus singled out for closer examination as potential beneficiaries of 5G. They are: creative industries, transport logistics, health and social care, and manufacturing.

Then UK5G segmented the needs of the sectors, finding use cases that could fit the needs of each of them. And that’s where we came in. We have asked a number of questions relating to the use cases. Can 5G deliver them yet? If not, when? And will that mean that all of the UK will benefit – or just some of it?

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