Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are missing out on productivity savings of up to £8.6 billion a year due to the slow rollout of standalone 5G, according to Vodafone research.
In a new report, the telco says the UK is set to become the fifth most attractive place in Europe for small and medium-sized businesses to use technology to scale up, after Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands. If that happens, he said, there is a possibility that he could jump to second place. Accelerated the rollout of 5G.
“More than 16 million people work in small and medium-sized businesses in the UK. Small and medium-sized businesses are the foundation of our economy. As this research shows, we need technology to help small businesses grow even faster. We need to help them do that,” said Kevin Hollinrake MP, Minister for Enterprise. Markets and small businesses.
“This includes equipping people with the skills they need to understand how to make the most of innovative technologies such as AI, and leading digital technologies such as Gigabit broadband and standalone 5G. It also means rolling out our infrastructure across every region of the UK to ensure everyone has peace of mind.Businesses can benefit from faster speeds and more reliable networks. Masu.”
The report uses the example of small agricultural businesses, which say the average worker could save more than three weeks of time with 5G standalone-enabled technology.
Vodafone said that rapidly deploying 5G standalone and accelerating the development of the enabling technology will save more than 37.7 million working hours a year across the sector.
In the long term, this will save £112 million a year in productivity, allowing SMEs to reinvest and drive business growth.
Similarly, more than 2 million employees in the retail sector could save more than 45.3 million labor hours annually by implementing 5G standalone-enabled technologies such as IoT inventory maintenance systems. The company says this could contribute to productivity savings of £1.85 billion a year.
Other industries that will particularly benefit include science, technology and professional services, with savings of £1.67bn. Construction savings of £1.28 billion. Manufacturing £854m;
Robust 5G connectivity is important for small businesses
Tina McKenzie, Chair of Policy and Advocacy at the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said strong and reliable mobile connectivity was “essential for small business growth”, but many businesses still lacked critical support in this regard. He said he was facing a problem.
“We often hear that unreliable mobile connectivity remains a major barrier for small businesses and the self-employed, disrupting productivity, especially in rural areas,” she says.
“As technology develops, the need for good connectivity becomes even more important. Deploying standalone 5G quickly and efficiently to all regions of the country will help small and medium-sized businesses stay at the forefront of innovation. , we can not only improve occupancy rates, but also ensure the safety of the UK.” We continue to be the best place to start and run a business. ”
According to OpenSignal, the UK ranks last among G7 countries for average 5G download speeds, while research from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) shows that almost half of rural small businesses have unreliable data. I am experiencing connection.
Emma Jones, CEO of Enterprise Nation, said: “We are confident that the UK will seize the opportunity to improve its 5G network and create a first-class environment for small and medium-sized businesses to grow and scale. It’s essential.”
