The implications of 5G networks: Paving the way for mobile innovation?

The telecommunications industry is on the cusp of adopting a new generation of mobile technologies. This fifth generation (5G) promises far-reaching changes, with the high-speed wireless broadband that it provides changing the way that individuals and businesses use telecommunication services. Through 5G the quality of telecommunication services will improve, with better signals being received inside buildings and latency and jitter significantly reducing so that new services can be developed. These new services are often associated with vertical sectors such as the automotive industry, healthcare, logistics and energy. It is these vertical sectors that are the heart of the socio-economic benefits that many believe 5G will create. Moreover, 5G is central to the Internet of Things, where the massive amounts of data generated will facilitate productivity improvements as well as lead to entrepreneurial activity across the economy.