The UK government’s own acknowledgement of a likely delay in rolling out 5G in the UK risks not fully realizing £108 billion worth of economic benefit and the creation of 350,000 jobs in regions outside London and the south-east over the next decade.
A delay in Britain realizing its full 5G potential could condemn some parts of the country to the digital slow lane for years to come, according to an independent report by Assembly published on 29 October.
The new report, commissioned by Huawei, lays bare the opportunities for levelling up. If 5G were delivered nationwide without delay, three-quarters of its expected economic benefit would likely come in regions outside London and the south-east with the potential to transform connectivity in areas such as the north-east, the north-west and the West Midlands.
Risk to UK jobs and a widening of the digital divide
As a global leader in 5G, the UK could stand to benefit from more than 600,000 potential new jobs over the next decade, bringing with it the value of more than £6,000 per household on average by 2030. Critically, the jobs at risk are not limited to the tech sector or confined to tech hubs but spread across white-collar and blue-collar workforces.
- In the North-West, the region risks not fully realizing an economic uplift of £16.9bn between 2020-2030 – and 59,000 new jobs.
- In London, the region risks not fully realizing an economic uplift of £39.7bn between 2020-2030 – and 139,000 new jobs.
- In the West Midlands, the region risks not fully realizing an economic uplift of £13bn between 2020-2030 – and 45,500 new jobs.
Consumers could be left waiting
The UK mobile industry has already made significant progress in the roll-out of 5G, with more than 300 towns and cities already having some degree of coverage. However, a delayed roll-out would mean consumers across the country would have to wait longer to enjoy the full benefits of next-generation connectivity on their devices – such as virtual reality video streaming, gaming and the delivery of on-demand content.
Industries face losing out on 5G benefits
The report warns that a delay in 5G roll-out threatens to slow advances in everything from next-generation remote healthcare and smart manufacturing, to robotics and at-home schooling. Slowing down advances in high-quality remote learning and healthcare, are potential ‘social equalizers’ – helping to address GP or teacher shortages.
Advances in smart manufacturing and robotics would also be under threat. A recent 5G trial in Worcestershire registered a marked rise in productivity after exploring the use of 5G in machinery fault detection and remote training.
Assembly Principal Analyst and Founder Matthew Howett said: “The government’s own expectation of its restrictions on Huawei is for up to a three-year delay in 5G roll-out. The risk of course is that this will be felt by operator’s being forced to focus their deployments in more profitable urban centres and that would inevitably mean it takes longer to reach, and fully cover, more rural and remote parts of Britain with 5G. If this plays out there is a risk of a widened digital divide.”
Huawei Vice President Victor Zhang said: “UK government has set ambitious targets for improved connectivity by 2025. This research reveals how a 3-year delay in 5G roll-out will have a significant economic impact on every part of the UK, and highlights the consequences of failing to realise Britain’s full potential. Without global 5G leadership, Britain faces relegation to the digital slow lane, a job creation black hole and a wider digital divide.”
A copy of the full report ‘Regional and consumer impact of a delayed 5G roll-out’ can be downloaded here. Supporting graphics are available here.City level data at a glance
Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Potential 5G benefit 2020-2030 (£m): 6,435
Potential jobs created by 5G: 22,475
4G coverage: 99%
5G availability: EE, O2, Three, Vodafone
Birmingham
Potential 5G benefit 2020-2030 (£m): 2,603
Potential jobs created by 5G: 9,091
4G coverage: 98%
5G availability: EE, O2, Three, Vodafone
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
Potential 5G benefit 2020-2030 (£m): 3,095
Potential jobs created by 5G: 10,810
4G coverage: 100%
5G availability: EE, O2, Three, Vodafone
Glasgow City Region
Potential 5G benefit 2020-2030 (£m): 3,966
Potential jobs created by 5G: 13,853
4G coverage: 86%
5G availability: EE, O2, Three, Vodafone
Newcastle
Potential 5G benefit 2020-2030 (£m): 806
Potential jobs created by 5G: 2,814
4G coverage: 100%
5G availability: EE, O2
Leeds
Potential 5G benefit 2020-2030 (£m): 2,349
Potential jobs created by 5G: 8,203
4G coverage: 97%
5G availability: EE, O2, Three, Vodafone
Edinburgh
Potential 5G benefit 2020-2030 (£m): 2,166
Potential jobs created by 5G: 7,564
4G coverage: 91%
5G availability: EE, O2, Vodafone
Cardiff
Potential 5G benefit 2020-2030 (£m): 1,058
Potential jobs created by 5G: 3,695
4G coverage: 96%
5G availability: EE, O2, Three, Vodafone
Bristol
Potential 5G benefit 2020-2030 (£m): 1,301
Potential jobs created by 5G: 4,542
4G coverage: 100%
5G availability: EE, O2, Three, Vodafone
Belfast City Region
Potential 5G benefit 2020-2030 (£m): 2,638
Potential jobs created by 5G: 9,214
4G coverage: 97%
5G availability: EE, O2, Vodafone
About Assembly
Assembly is an independent analyst firm providing subscription-based information, analysis and commentary on regulatory, policy and legislative developments that affect communications markets and the wider digital economy.
For more information, click here.
Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. We are committed to bringing digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world. Huawei’s end-to-end portfolio of products, solutions and services are both competitive and secure. Through open collaboration with ecosystem partners, we create lasting value for our customers, working to empower people, enrich home life, and inspire innovation in organizations of all shapes and sizes. At Huawei, innovation puts the customer first. We invest heavily in fundamental research, concentrating on technological breakthroughs that drive the world forward. We have nearly 194,000 employees, and we operate in more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than three billion people around the world. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company fully owned by its employees.
For more information, click here.
