Vodafone Business estimates that delays in the rollout of standalone 5G are costing small and medium-sized businesses £8.6bn a year in potential productivity savings.
Standalone 5G networks offer superior coverage, speed, and connectivity compared to non-standalone setups, enabling advanced services such as augmented reality, self-driving cars, and IoT.
In a report titled ‘Supercharging SMEs’, Vodafone highlighted the need to accelerate the implementation of 5GSA technology to drive growth and competitiveness in the UK’s SME sector.
The report comes hot on the heels of news that Virgin Media O2 will roll out SA 5G to 14 cities.
The study analyzes 5G coverage, adoption of 5G-enabled technology by small and medium-sized businesses, and 5G speeds across 17 European countries. The UK ranks in her fifth place, but by accelerating the rollout of standalone 5G networks, it could overtake its competitors to second place behind Denmark.
The report highlights that the UK has limited opportunities to remain competitive in the global economy, but stresses that timely investment in 5G infrastructure is “of paramount importance”.
Michelle Donnellan MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, said: “There is huge potential for businesses across the economy to benefit from technological advances such as 5G. As this report shows, the UK is one of the best places for small and medium-sized businesses to grow with technology, and we want to use 5G connectivity as a springboard to do so. thinking about.”
Kevin Hollinrake MP, Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business, said: “More than 16 million people work in small and medium-sized businesses in the UK. We need to help them use technology to grow even faster. It also includes ensuring that first-class digital infrastructure, such as gigabit broadband and standalone 5G, is rolled out across the UK. I mean it.”
Enterprise Nation CEO Emma Jones emphasized the importance of strengthening 5G networks to create an environment that fosters growth and innovation for small and medium-sized businesses. She highlighted the role of digital infrastructure in providing a key competitive advantage.
