“An investment of £160m will help with the testing and deployment of 5G infrastructure, as well as the applications that would run it. This will pave the way for driverless cars and other technological advancements in the future.
“We should not think about 5G as just another technology but rather as a building block for digital transformation. Faster networks with more capacity are prerequisites for a digital nation – it is the nervous system of the digital world.
“Over the next five years, the UK’s workforce will become transformed through mobile apps that make them more productive: the UK has the opportunity to lead across all forms of technology revolution. However, the best quality networks are essential in order to achieve this.
“Telecommunications connectivity is now just as important for the UK economy as transport infrastructure. Without it, the country would grind to a halt. Continued investment in new and exciting network technology is essential in order to keep the UK competitive in global markets and at the cutting edge of connectivity. World class connectivity is a foundation of a world class economy.
“When we think about 5G, we should think about the three main facets of 5G, which are equally important. Most are familiar with higher speeds to handsets, but 5G will also be used as an alternative to fibre to the home (this is the application being rolled out in the US, now), and also to connect the industrial Internet of Things.”