42 BusIness AUGUST 2019
TECHNOLOGY
I
T’S the high-speed
technology that’s set to
revolutionise how we use the
internet.
5G networks are the next
generation of mobile
internet connectivity,
offering faster speeds and more
reliable connections on smartphones
and other devices than ever
before.
And – in late May – Manchester city
centre became one of the first British
cities to experience the full potential of
5G.
Operator EE, owned by BT, launched
its 5G network simultaneously across
Manchester, London, Edinburgh,
Birmingham, Cardiff and Belfast.
Rival operator Vodafone also
launched its 5G network earlier last
month with Manchester, once again,
among its first locations.
So, why does 5G matter and why - in
particular - should businesses be
interested in its advent?
In short, 5G offers internet speeds
many times times faster than the 4G
that’s hitherto been available.
Combining cutting-edge network
technology and the very latest
research, 5G should offer
connections that are multitudes
faster than current
connections, with
average download
speeds of around
1GBps expected to
soon be the norm.
Dr Sunday Ekpo,
a lecturer in
electrical and
electronic
engineering at
Manchester
Metropolitan
University, is
unequivocal about the
significance of 5G’s arrival.
Dr Ekpo explained: “Manchester is
among the first six UK cities to get 5G
connectivity.
“This signifies a deserved respect for
the historical technology hub role of
the city in the UK.
“It shows an appreciation of the
digital culture and smart socio-
economic potentials of the global city.
“The presence of 5G in Manchester
acknowledges the innovation and
creative resources available in the city
as the Northern Powerhouse.
“It indicates the enormous
transformational opportunities that the
city of Manchester economy can bring
to the UK, and the multi-cultural
international presence through
digitisation.
“Moreover, industrial, commercial,
domestic, municipal and educational
activities in Manchester have the
potential to function seamlessly
through the ubiquitous transformative
information technology that the 5G
technology eco-system
promises.
“This will enable
Manchester to enhance
its digital economy
outlooks locally,
regionally,
nationally and
internationally.”
A number of
5G-capable
handsets are
available from
manufacturers
including Samsung,
OnePlus, LG, HTC and
Oppo.
So, what does the advent of
5G mean for business?
Some analysts have expressed their
view that it will “create waves of
innovation that disrupt every industry”.
Expectations around 5G download
speeds vary - from more conservative
estimates of ten times faster than 4G up
to 1,000 times faster.
This is likely to mean that businesseswill be able to stream high-resolution
video, audio and images with
practically no delay, generating huge
opportunity for instantaneous
communication between customers
and co-workers.
Furthermore, making online sales
and sharing files to the Cloud will also
become even quicker.
When Dr Ekpo is asked how Greater
Manchester’s tech community should
be embracing the opportunities
presented by 5G currently, he is equally
forthright.
He explained: “The Manchester tech
community should engage more with
the key stakeholders through
innovation-driven collaborations that
will enable the opportunities of 5G
connectivity to be harnessed for
a stable sustainable city-wide
economy.
“Inter- and intra-SMEs partnerships
that focus on the digital economy
boosting promised by the 5G
technology eco-system should be
frontally pursued.
“Knowledge transfer partnerships
and industrial innovation engagements
with the research institutions should be
judiciously promoted and
implemented.
“Expert sharing for niche products
that are customisable and demand-
driven should also be welcomed and
encouraged for mutual business
benefits.
“The future is bright, as 5G presents a
fundamental, revolutionary change
with a wide-reaching impact that
promises to prepare the stage for
the digitisation of modern life and
entities.”Get ready for a five
star speed revolution
With 5G connectivity now available across Manchester,
Ben Rooth asks what it means for business ...
Lewis Hamilton at the
official switch-on of
Vodafone’s 5G
network last monthThe presence of 5G in
Manchester acknowledges
the innovation and creative
resources available in the
city as the Northern
Powerhouse
Dr Sunday EkpoIN ASSOCIATION WITHLawrence Jones, CEO, UKFastWhile 5G connectivity may have
been hitting the news recently
because of controversies around
one of the technology’s providers,
Huawei, the high-speed mobile
data option has the potential to
take our digital lives to another
level.
The 5G connectivity provides
connection speeds similar to that
of a good level of wi-fi, but without
the need for cables and a fixed
location hub.
Higher security, faster speeds,
better customer experience and
increased productivity are just a
few of the potential benefits of
faster connectivity on the go.
Imagine being able to manage
your workload on the go without
having to use spotty public wi-fi,
or, worse, the wi-fi on trains!
It seems like it’s a win-win
development. The challenge is
accessibility at the moment,
though. Despite the technology
already being available through
certain providers in some areas of
the country, only a few devices
currently have the capability.
When I say a few, it is literally a
handful. That said, research by
Strategy Analytics recently
predicted that around 45m PCs
and tablets will have 5G
connectivity capability by 2023. In
less than four years, that is a huge
amount of change!
Speed is absolutely essential in
every part of business, and, if
connectivity can be faster on the
go, that’s only a good thing for
businesses and consumers alike.Taking our
digital lives
to a new level
Lawrence Jones,
CEO, UKFast