5G Needs to Meet Expectations

The biggest challenge to 5G deployment is fulfilling high expectations set by the public and industry.

13:41 13 April 2018

5G standards are yet to be established but industry leaders are already talking about ubiquitous, superfast connectivity that will enable smart cities, self-driving cars and connected homes. While it is utterly exciting to think about the amazing innovation that will be made possible through 5G, the public may left unimpressed if and when the industry fails to meet such high expectations.

 

It is important to note that 5G will take years to deploy and it is more likely to create a wide digital divide.

 

The benefits of 5G could be years from reality. Even when the technology finally arrives, it is highly unlikely that it will serve both urban and rural areas equally at the same time. Currently, millions of Britons in rural areas do not even have access to fast, reliable coverage. When 5G is finally here, it will initially be rolled out in urban areas as the networks will need a return on their investment quickly. This is most likely to be the scenario even when such places already have fast networks. This is expected to further deepen the digital divide.