Realising The Benefits of 5G

A report for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Realising the Benefits of 5G
Final report for publication August 2021 Cambridge Econometrics gh@camecon.com

Cambridge, UK www.camecon.com
Any views expressed in this study are solely those of the author(s) and should not be taken to represent
the Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport views or policy. This paper should not therefore be
taken as representing the views of the Department.
The reader of this report should be aware that this research is an initial contribution to improving
understanding on the topics covered and is based on evidence collected to date. The reader should
consider new evidence that is made available after this report has been published and critically assess
any implications this may have on the findings outlined here.
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Contents
Page
1 Introduction 9
1.1 Background 9
1.2 Aims of the project 10
1.3 Stakeholder engagement 10
1.4 Structure of this report 11
2 Introducing 5G 12
2.1 What is 5G? 12
2.2 What does 5G offer users? 12
2.3 Key features behind the transformative impact of 5G 15
2.4 How 5G will compare with other connectivity technologies 16
2.5 5G may be complementary or synergistic to other advanced
technologies 21
3 Applications and benefits of 5G 24

3.1 5G consumer groups, sectors and use cases 24
3.2 Evidence on 5G use cases and consumer groups 26
3.3 Consumer group benefits and beneficiaries 29
3.4 The benefits of 5G 32
3.5 Estimates of the magnitude of the benefits 37
4 5G marketplace and readiness in the UK 43

4.1 Recent developments 43
4.2 Spectrum used in UK MNO 5G deployments 45
4.3 Spectrum for private 5G deployment 47
4.4 Network architecture 50
4.5 3GPP standards and releases 51
4.6 Readiness to deploy and adopt 5G in the UK 53
4.7 Digital investment propensity assessment 56
5 Barriers to adoption and their impact 61

5.1 Approach 61
5.2 Overview of the barriers to 5G adoption 61
5.3 Barriers to 5G adoption in the UK 63
5.4 Relevance of demand-side barriers within different consumer groups
in the UK 66
5.5 Supply-side barriers – supporting evidence 68
5.6 Demand-side barriers – supporting evidence 72
6 Modelling the adoption and benefits of 5G 80

6.1 Overview 80
6.2 Adoption and barriers model 80
6.3 Disaggregating adoption 83
6.4 Economic benefits modelling 86
6.5 Environmental benefits modelling 88
6.6 Social benefits modelling 89
6.7 Challenges and limitations 90
7 Scenario descriptions 92
7.1 5G adoption and impact scenarios 92
7.2 Market barrier assumptions 93
7.3 Comparing results across scenarios 94
8 Analysis of scenario results 95

8.1 General introduction 95
8.2 Economic impacts 96
8.3 Environmental impacts 118
8.4 Social impacts 122
8.5 Benchmarking the model results 124
9 Conclusions 127
9.1 5G use cases and consumer groups 127
9.2 5G positioning relative to other connectivity technologies 127
9.3 Barriers to 5G adoption 128
9.4 The role of private 5G networks 129
9.5 Barriers that the market will address 129
9.6 Economic impact modelling 129
9.7 Environmental impact modelling 132
9.8 Social impact modelling 133
Appendices 135
Appendix A Acronyms and Glossary 136

A.1 Acronyms 136
A.2 Glossary 138
Appendix B Adoption curves 140
Appendix C References 143
Executive Summary
5G is the next 5G is the fifth and latest generation of mobile broadband internet, offering
generation faster speeds, as well as higher capacity, lower latency, increased flexibility
technology and increased reliability of connections. 5G can also connect a much larger
standard for number and variety of devices. In doing so, the expectation is that mobile
mobile internet telecoms companies will be able to address not only existing consumer and
business mobile broadband customers, but also new markets (such as
providing connectivity for low-latency Internet of Things (IoT) applications).
Superfast For individuals and households, greater capacity for the services they already
speeds are a key use through faster mobile data connections could hold the biggest appeal in
attraction for terms of migrating from 4G, to 5G, use. In the longer term, new use cases in
consumers the area of gaming, entertainment, smart health and retail are expected to
emerge, as advanced features of 5G are deployed by MNOs and 5G devices
become more pervasive.
The enhanced The 5G opportunity is perhaps more significant for enterprises, as the
functionalities of additional features of 5G are well suited for industrial applications. These
5G are expected features include low-latency, virtualised RAN; multi-access edge computing;
to unlock new and network slicing. 5G is also an enabling feature for other technology
opportunities and domains including robotics, IoT, and AR/VR. These enhanced functionalities
business models of 5G are expected to unlock new business opportunities, new avenues of
supply and demand for 5G services and significantly contribute to economic
growth in the UK.
Households, The enhanced functionalities of 5G will support several new or enhanced use
media and cases. These include: virtual or augmented reality; ultra-high definition (UHD)
entertainment video; robotics; connected autonomous vehicles; drones; remote machine
and industrial IoT manipulation; sensor networks; high-speed broadband; smart tracking; and
are expected to IoT. There is an expectation that the media and entertainment sector and
be early adopters industrial IoT might be key areas of early adoption.
There are The identification and conceptualisation of the benefits of 5G adoption is
economic, social relatively well evidenced (but evolving, as new use cases emerge). However,
and the quantitative evidence of these benefits is limited. The benefits of 5G can
environmental be categorised as:
benefits of
• Economic benefits – in the form of increased productivity to firms and
adopting 5G
additional GDP growth or, alternatively, in terms of cost reduction. These
are realised through a wide range of mechanisms, including: reductions in
factory downtime; lower defect rates in manufacturing; energy efficiency
gains; and reduced waste. Other economic benefits are linked to the
enabling effects of 5G: the creation of new business models and
businesses or the launch of new products or services.
• Social benefits – including time savings linked to increased productivity in
housekeeping and reduced travel times; and, from some 5G use cases,
increased life expectancy, improved public safety, better health, reduced
loneliness, and overall improvements in self-assessed quality of life and
life satisfaction metrics.
• Environmental benefits – typically arising as a result of efficiency gains
related to transport activities and the consumption of energy and natural
resources; and so including reductions in traffic congestion and
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, reductions in the use of energy, and

lower consumption of natural resources, such as water.
5G is being 5G networks are being expanded, largely on the basis of population density, to
rolled out but the address a diverse range of users and uses. This is being supported by the
implementation government’s 5G Test beds and Trials programme, which aims to accelerate
of advanced the roll-out and use of 5G, and the recent widening of spectrum available for
functionalities will 5G. Even so, it takes time for new 3GPP-based functionalities to be integrated
take time into networks and devices. The implementation of future 3GPP functionalities
and the availability of reliant use cases will depend on demand and cost and
likely be sporadic.
To date, most 5G To date, deployment of 5G by MNOs has been non-standalone rather than
has been standalone. However, standalone networks, which operate independently of
deployed on non- 4G, are important because they enable operators to offer more bespoke
standalone solutions, and furthermore many new features and functionalities will rely on
networks the deployment of standalone networks. The pace of the transition to
standalone networks will dictate when more advanced 5G applications
become available.
There is a role, MNOs’ slow implementation of the latest functionalities into public networks is
and support, for stimulating demand for private 5G networks, while their longer transition to
private networks standalone presents an opportunity for private networks in the early delivery of
some 5G features. Ofcom has taken steps to support the deployment of
private 5G networks via shared use licences, and is making it easier for third
parties to access spectrum from the national spectrum holdings of MNOs for
local use.
5G readiness in After the first 5G networks launched in the UK in 2019, 5G coverage in the UK
the UK is was around 30% of the population as of Q4 2020, slightly above the European
reasonably high average of around 25%, based on analysis undertaken by Analysys Mason at
but users are that time, using data from the GSMA. Coverage has since expanded across
unwilling to pay further locations in the UK, with network speeds varying based on the
when the use deployment used by different operators in different locations. 5G readiness in
cases and the UK is reasonably high and the UK is a leader in the adoption of public
benefits are not cloud and AI.
clear
Some wider digital barriers that may impede adoption of 5G in the UK include:
alignment with global standards and spectrum arrangements and the impact of
this on the wider 5G ecosystem; the absence of relevant skills and low levels
of technology maturity; the availability and cost of spectrum; access to fibre
backhaul. At the same time, the absence of a clear business case can
undermine 5G coverage and available 5G functionalities, while demand from
consumers may be slow to emerge until a live network demonstrates the
functionalities and use cases, which requires costly and risky investment. Key
barriers among users include an unwillingness to pay, especially when the use
cases and benefits are not clear.
5G will bring Incremental benefits of 5G over 4G include larger data transfers, the ability to
incremental maintain connections with very low latency, the ability to deliver contextual
benefits over 4G information in real time and the ability to connect many devices, and process
but it could also and utilise data from those devices, in real time. 5G may also have more
have more transformative impacts than previous mobile network technologies, through
transformative enabling other technological advances such as industrial AR/VR applications,
impacts robotics systems and cloud computing.
Modelling the The absence of empirical data on how 5G is being used and by whom, limits
impacts of 5G is the extent to which a model can be populated with data and parameters based
subject to high on real world experience. This meant we had to rely on estimates and
levels of assumptions from historical studies of comparable technologies to develop
uncertainty some of the model parameters.
The strength of Considering the challenges to modelling 5G impacts, the model has been
the model lies in designed to break down the distribution of the benefits across consumer
comparing groups, households and firms, and geographical areas. The scale of the
relative impacts impacts of 5G are highly uncertain, but the likely relative impacts of 5G will be
across different driven, to some extent, by the profile of 5G adoption. A further strength of the
market barrier model lies in the functionality to change the profile of adoption according to
levels different market barrier levels, to explore how these market barriers may affect
both the scale and the distribution of the benefits.
We modelled the We modelled impacts of 5G adoption and demand-side market barriers for two
impacts of 5G scenarios:
adoption and
• an optimistic view of 5G as a general-purpose technology (GPT) that could
market barriers
be adopted by nearly all firms, like the internet is currently;
for two scenarios
• a more nuanced view of 5G in which adoption varies across consumer
groups and firm sizes based on trends in uptake of advanced digital
technologies (ADT)
The nature of 5G The scenarios described above reflect differing opinions in the literature and
adoption is industry of the nature of future 5G use and how widespread adoption will be.
uncertain, and There is considerable uncertainty around which of these scenarios is more
hence the likely, and hence the potential size and scale of the impacts of 5G adoption.
impacts are There is hence wide variation in the size of impacts between model scenarios
uncertain too and model results should be interpreted in the context of the scenario they
correspond to.
UK economic UK economic benefits 1 are projected at £41bn-£159bn cumulatively over
benefits are 2021-35 depending on the model scenario. Annual UK gross value added is
projected at projected to be 0.4%-1.6% higher in 2035 as a result of 5G technology (which
£41bn-£159bn is a relatively conservative estimate compared to the wider literature). Firms in
cumulatively over the High-speed broadband to homes and offices consumer group and the
2021-35 Media and entertainment consumer group are projected to experience the
largest impacts in proportional terms, though firms across a wide range of
consumer groups are projected to benefit from 5G adoption.
5G adoption will The largest impacts are estimated in London (£42bn in the GPT scenario and
positively impact £12bn in the ADT scenario), the South East (£23bn in the GPT scenario and
GVA in all UK £5bn in the ADT scenario) and the South West (£15bn in the GPT scenario
regions and and £4bn in the ADT scenario). Urban areas within-each region and country
countries are expected to benefit more strongly from 5G because it will be rolled out
there first, and in the ADT scenario because faster adopting consumer groups
are more highly concentrated in urban areas.
1
Economic benefits are measured in terms of gross value added (GVA), which is defined as the value of
output minus the value of intermediate consumption. This is of interest because GVA is the source of
primary incomes in an economy; GVA is equal to the total remuneration to households (via salaries and
wages) plus the total surplus of businesses (including profits) plus net taxes to government from production.
Private networks The model results indicate that private networks may be particularly important
may be to rural areas if the slower roll-out of public networks in rural areas stimulates
particularly demand for private networks as an alternative. Furthermore, rural areas may
important for also have a relatively high share of firms in consumer groups, such as
rural areas Manufacturing, logistics and distribution and Energy and utilities, which favour
the specific use cases for which private networks offer an advantage.
Environmental Environmental benefits modelled as avoided emissions are projected at
benefits range ranging from 58-185 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent over 2021-35. Avoided
from 58-185 emissions are greatest in consumer groups for which 5G improves transport
mtCO2e saved efficiency or reduces travel, such as the Transport consumer group and the
over 2021-35. Retail and hospitality consumer group.
5G could save The literature review found multiple channels through which 5G will bring
individuals social benefits. However, limited evidence exists on the potential magnitude
£14.9-19.7bn of most of these benefits. Therefore, modelling undertaken in this study was
over 2021-35 limited to estimating the value of time saved on housework and family care by
individuals. The cumulative value of time saved over 2021-35 is projected to
reach £14.9-19.7bn.
Removing Smart urban and Manufacturing, logistics and distribution stand to gain the
market barriers most from lowering market barriers. £17bn-£58bn in additional GVA could be
could bring realised from reducing 5G market barriers in these two consumer groups
further economic, alone (69-77% of total additional GVA benefits from lowering market barriers).
environmental Consumer groups for which business use cases were modelled are projected
and social to realise relatively higher emissions savings as a result of removing market
benefits barriers, with the highest potential additional savings in Rural industries (73%),
Manufacturing, logistics and distribution (41%), Smart urban (33%) and
Energy and utilities (32%). Removing barriers to adoption of 5G could also
potentially unlock £1.8-2.4bn of additional benefits to individuals.
1 Introduction
1.1 Background
The telecoms market is undergoing a transition to 5G networks and full-fibre
broadband. 5G is expected to be a transformative technology that will create
opportunities through new advanced use cases across sectors and markets
for various consumer groups (e.g. households, enterprises, authorities etc.
simply referred to as consumers henceforth).
5G is expected to significantly enhance digital connectivity in the UK, with
initial 5G services launched by UK mobile network operators (MNOs)
predominantly targeting individual consumers of mobile broadband (MBB)
services. For these users, 5G radio means greater capacity for the services
they already use on smartphones and other mobile devices. Beyond
enhancing speeds and functionality of 4G, 5G standalone architecture is
expected to unlock the more advanced technical functionalities of 5G, such as
the ability to tailor quality of service through customised, end-to-end virtual
network slices meeting new and different user requirements such as low-
latency, ultra-reliable use cases.
These enhanced functionalities of 5G are expected to unlock new business
opportunities, new avenues of supply and demand for 5G services and
significantly contribute to economic growth in the UK (e.g. through increased
productivity, new business models, new products and services, new markets
and new use cases for various consumer groups).
In 2018, the UK government published the findings of its Future Telecoms
Infrastructure Review (FTIR). The objective of the review was to support
“large-scale commercial investment in the fixed and wireless networks that are
vital for the UK to remain globally competitive in a digital world”.
This vision forms a key aspect of the government’s growth strategy, and is
intended to ensure that the UK is at the forefront of the worldwide roll-out and
take-up of high-speed connectivity services. Achieving this objective requires
a strong market for 5G both on the demand-side and on the supply-side.
Against this background, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
(DCMS) has launched a pre-emptive review of 5G deployment and adoption in
the UK. The objective is to understand the likely applications of 5G technology
(use cases), the sectors that will benefit most from these capabilities, the
barriers to take-up of 5G services, and an understanding of the overall
economic impact generated by the success or failure of 5G roll-out in the UK.
While the market is expected to operate effectively to drive the delivery of 5G,
there are various constraints that may impede this. For example, there are
barriers to engagement on both demand and supply sides; divergence in
incentives of suppliers and consumers; and complex transaction costs. These
can result in sub-optimal outcomes for consumers, meaning the UK does not
maximise the value of 5G.
In January 2021 DCMS appointed Cambridge Econometrics, Analysys Mason
and Professor Ed Oughton to conduct analysis to help them better understand
the demand side of the 5G market, the drivers and benefits of adoption, and
the impact of barriers to adoption on the realisation of benefits. The work will
assist in identifying areas in the market where there might be a need for
government policy to support and promote the take up of 5G by users.
1.2 Aims of the project

In this context, this study seeks to provide a better understanding of the
demand side of the 5G market, and the opportunities and challenges (barriers
to adoption) various UK consumer groups of 5G will face. This project will
provide an initial contribution to better understanding these areas which
DCMS may seek to collect further evidence on as part of their ongoing
research programme and internal evidence collection. The consumer groups
represent related sectors of the economy and users of 5G within each of the
consumer groups considered in this study are a mixture of individual
consumers, households, businesses and the public sector (see section 3.3 for
further discussion of this).
The key outputs of this study are UK-wide 5G adoption curves and a benefits
model, which uses the adoption curves together with UK 5G geographic roll-
out assumptions as its inputs to understand the potential scale of the benefits
of 5G and the impact of removing barriers to adoption.
More specifically, this study has the following scope:
• Assessment of UK-wide 5G consumers (and consumer groups) and
the 5G features that different consumer groups might use, informed by
stakeholder interviews conducted as part of this study
• Identification and assessment of evidence underpinning the expected
5G benefits for UK consumers across the different consumer groups
(e.g. businesses, households etc.) and development of a benefits
model to quantify the benefits of 5G in the UK
• Identification and analysis of barriers and market failures that may
prevent 5G consumers or consumer groups from getting the best and
maximum value from 5G, also informed by stakeholder interviews
1.3 Stakeholder engagement

As part of the study, and to supplement the available literature on what use
cases 5G might enable in the UK market, we conducted 16 one-to-one
interviews with a range of 5G stakeholders. We also hosted a workshop via
MS Teams, which was attended by more than 30 participants from 14 different
organisations across the UK. The workshop and interviews focused on the
topics of 5G demand, participants’ outlook for 5G adoption – and the key
consumer groups and potential use cases driving that – as well as any
potential barriers and market failures to 5G adoption that they have
experienced, or are aware of.
It is noted that we actively sought to interview stakeholders who were known
to be actively considering 5G solutions (and/or companies either developing
5G products or deploying them), given the detailed nature of the questions
being posed. Hence the stakeholder feedback will not be fully representative
of all businesses within a 5G consumer group given there will be a wide
variety of 5G awareness amongst businesses within specific groups. Given
the commercial sensitivity of the information provided, the identity of all
stakeholders engaged through the workshop and/or interviews, and any
reference to them in the report, has been withheld. Nonetheless, the

information provided fed into and helped shape the analysis.
1.4 Structure of this report

The report provides our assessment of 5G demand and market barriers for
key consumer groups in the UK. It also provides an overview of our approach
to modelling 5G impacts, scenario design and analysis of economic,
environmental and social impacts projected using the model. The report is
structured as follows:
• Chapter 2 provides an introduction to 5G to provide a high-level
understanding on what 5G is and what it offers.
• Chapter 3 provides an overview of the main use cases and who the main
consumer groups are expected to be, along with an overview of the main
benefits of 5G.
• Chapter 4 provides an overview of recent developments in the evolution of
the 5G market, to help understand the current state of development of the
UK 5G market and how that is likely to change in future.
• Chapter 5 describes the key barriers that might affect 5G adoption across
the consumer groups, and also how we might reflect the impact of these
barriers within the adoption forecasts developed from the study.
• Chapter 6 describes our approach to modelling 5G adoption in the UK and
estimating the economic, environmental, and social benefits.
• Chapter 7 describes the scenarios we have developed for the modelling.
• Chapter 8 presents and analyses the results from the scenario modelling.
• Chapter 9 concludes the report and summarises findings and insights.
2 Introducing 5G
In this chapter we provide an introduction to 5G to provide a high-level

understanding what 5G is, the key features behind its potentially
transformative impact, and how it compares to other connectivity technologies,
such as 4G, wi-fi or fibre, and advanced technologies, such as the IoT or cloud
computing.
2.1 What is 5G?

5G is the next 5G is the fifth and latest generation of mobile broadband internet. It is the
generation successor to existing standards such as 3G and 4G. 5G is expected to
technology significantly enhance digital connectivity in the UK, with initial 5G services
standard for launched by UK mobile network operators (MNOs) predominantly targeting
mobile internet individual consumers of mobile broadband (MBB) services.
2.2 What does 5G offer users?

5G networks 5G networks will provide an increase in mobile speeds, as well as higher
offer several capacity, lower latency, increased flexibility and increased reliability of
benefits beyond connections. 5G can also connect a much larger number and variety of
just faster devices. In so doing, the expectation is that mobile telecoms companies will
speeds be able to address not only existing consumer and business mobile
broadband customers, but also new markets (such as providing connectivity
for low-latency IoT applications).
Superfast For consumers, including individuals and households, 5G means greater
speeds are a key capacity for the services they already use on smartphones and other mobile
attraction for devices. 5G MBB therefore offers faster mobile data connections for video
consumers downloads, live streaming and gaming, offering a step change in quality of
experience for these services compared to slower, 4G-based MBB.
In the longer term, more consumer use cases in the area of gaming (e.g.
AR/VR gaming, cloud gaming), entertainment (e.g. 360-degree experiences,
holographic events), smart health (e.g. wearables, remote health monitoring),
retail (e.g. immersive shopping experiences, drone delivery) are expected to
emerge as advanced features of 5G are deployed by MNOs and 5G devices,
including but not limited to smartphones, become more pervasive.
The enhanced The 5G opportunity is perhaps more significant for enterprises, as the
functionalities of additional features of 5G are well suited for industrial applications:
5G are expected
• Low-latency, virtualised RAN: by changing the physical layer of radio
to unlock new
frequencies, it is possible to transmit short packets of information with a
opportunities and
very short delay, which, along with edge computing functionality (see
business models
below), enables very low latency connection such as needed for the real-
time control of machinery or support for critical safety functions. With
reduced signalling for short packets, the number of concurrent connections
can also be increased to support many more devices, such as those
envisaged as forming part of IoT.
• Multi-access edge computing: in the context of multi-access computing, it
is possible to process data at the edge of the network, using virtualised
platforms near to a company’s premises. This reduces delay and allows for
control and access to data without third-party involvement, which is
particularly important for analytics, where data needs to be processed

quickly.
• Network slicing: communication paths can be allocated for the sole use of
certain applications. The network is divided into a number of multiple
virtual networks, all existing on a single infrastructure and each slice being
configured to operate with specific quality-of-service (QoS). There is less
cross-over between applications, more efficient use of resources and
improved reliability and security.
5G is also an enabling feature to other technology domains (e.g. robotics, IoT,

AR/VR), and is expected to catalyse further adoption of these adjacent
technology both in the consumer and enterprise segments. For example:
• Robotics: low latency network feature enables a user to make real-time,
precise actions based on the robot’s surroundings from a remote
environment.
• IoT: 5G brings about greater flexibility in terms of type of devices, and
number of devices supported in the core network.
• Augmented reality (AR)/ virtual reality (VR): High bandwidth capabilities
bring higher quality content which can be more realistic and immersive,
while low latency enables content delivery with minimal delay for greater
comfort.
These enhanced functionalities of 5G are expected to unlock new business

opportunities, new avenues of supply and demand for 5G services and
significantly contribute to economic growth in the UK (e.g. through increased
productivity, new business models, new products and services, new markets
and new use cases for various consumer groups).
It is very likely that once 5G networks are fully rolled out, a large part of the
overall benefits of 5G to national economies will be generated by key
consumer and enterprise use cases, through either economy-wide effects or
significant productivity gains within economically important sectors. The most
economically important sectors will vary across markets – however, the
potential range of applications and sectors where 5G technology might play a
role is significant.
A good source of case studies for the applications of 5G are reports on the
UK’s 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme. Table 2-1 below summarizes the
findings for a selection of these reports, covering a variety of use cases.
Table 2-1: Summaries of case studies from the 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme
Author Title Summary

DCMS (2019) 5G Testbeds The paper provides some description of uptake in the
and Trials case scenarios (consortia of over 70 organisations
Programme including over 40 SMEs).
The paper also describes progress in the 6 key

testbed areas:
• AutoAir – a demonstration took place in
Millbrook to “…help accelerate the development
of the generation of connected and autonomous

vehicles”.
• 5G Rural First - 5GRF launched their Me+Moo
app showcasing one of their agritech use cases.
To date, they have had over 11,000 downloads
on the app store.
• Worcestershire – The testbed has reportedly
“…help[ed] factories make significant efficiency
gains.”
• 5G Smart Tourism – Demonstrations of VR and
tourism took place (e.g. Roman Baths, Bristol).
• 5GRIT - Within the rural broadband space, their
service has shown that 5G can deliver 30Mbps
broadband to remote rural areas.
• Liverpool 5G Testbed - The new technology has
also improved the quality of life for people
managing long term health conditions.
Liverpool 5G Benefits, This paper analyses and presents evidence relating to

Health and Outcomes and the economic and social impacts of the Liverpool
Social Care Impact: Health and Social Care testbed.
Testbed (2019) Final analysis of • Cumulatively, it estimated that the combined
combined data cost-savings for health and social care services
from use cases across various 5G applications amounted to
£247,688 per hundred users per year.
• Social impacts are also found in terms of
reported life satisfaction and sense of inclusion
among users.
Sainani and 5G Rural This paper analyses and presents evidence from the
Lees (2019) Integrated 5GRIT testbed relating to the economic impacts of
Testbed: tourism apps, including an established AR application
Final Report – called World Around Me (WAM) used to deliver video
Tourism Apps streaming of heritage content over 5G.
The paper establishes a direct relationship between

WAM usage in the region and its economic benefits.
• WAM was used by 89 users who searched 1712
times and spent 18hrs 12 mins in WAM.
• Based on this, the paper estimates that around
£17,120 was brought into the region through
these WAM users (£10 per use).
• If WAM were promoted to 10,000 people, who
use WAM about 200,000 times, this would bring
an economic benefit of £2 million to the region.
Leese (2019a) 5G Rural This paper analyses and presents evidence from the
Integrated 5GRIT testbed relating to the economic impacts of 5G
Testbed: applications on arable land yield.
Final Report –
Arable Use The paper considers the application of 5G in enabling
Cases unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to collect multi-
spectral images of arable land. This enables farmers
to manage inputs (most importantly fertiliser).
These applications are found to increase average

farm wheat yields from 10.4 to 11.7 tonnes per
hectare. Based on a wheat price of £50 per tonne,
this equates to £195 per hectare in increased revenue
(approx.. £2395 per typical farm).
Ways in which these technologies might become

commercially viable are also explored and yardstick
goals for impacts on animal health is hypothesised.
Bruce (2019) 5G Rural The paper describes testbed results including cost
Integrated savings for average sheep farms (fewer callouts and
Testbed: Final medical bills).
Report –
Livestock and Consultations with farmers who were involved in the
UAV testbed were key to the research method.
The paper estimated that:

• a 5% reduction can be achieved through UAV
applications, resulting in a cost saving of £0.34
pence per animal on veterinary products;
• on a farm with 895 sheep (average size), this
would equate to £0.34x895=£304 per year;
• 1 call per year could be saved as a result of
monitoring the animals more closely;
• This equates to a saving of £50-£90 p.a. based
on the current cost of a vet call out on these
farms.
• Overall, both savings could amount to £350 -
£390 per year on the average sheep farm.
2.3 Key features behind the transformative impact of 5G

The virtualisation It is the virtualisation and cloud-based transformation of 5G core networks that
of 5G networks is is expected to drive the most transformative aspects of 5G, potentially leading
expected to drive to the greatest benefits across industrial and enterprise 5G users. This
the most virtualisation of 5G architecture follows the broader trends of software-defined
transformative capabilities and cloud-based storage and implementation that is at the heart of
aspects of 5G industrial digital transformation programmes in the UK and worldwide.
Key benefits Virtualisation refers to the core networks of 5G being implemented in software,
include greater rather than in hardware. Additionally, virtualisation of parts of the radio access
flexibility, network (RAN) is occurring through virtual RAN solutions. Open RAN is one
scalability and example of a virtual RAN implementation. Key benefits of virtualised, cloud-
the decoupling of based approaches to 5G implementation include greater flexibility, scalability
applications from and decoupling of applications from hardware. Another benefit is that a move
hardware away from hardware-based implementation can potentially create
opportunities for alternative software-based vendors to provide some or all of
5G end-to-end solutions, improving supplier diversity.
But current However, whilst virtualised 5G core network infrastructure solutions available
virtualised 5G in the market, early versions were not ‘cloud-native’. The first set of 5G
core solutions standards were completed as rapidly as possible to enable MNOs who wished
are not ‘cloud- to do so to roll out 5G quickly, and so the initial standards do not define the full
native’ 5G solutions. Initial 5G implementations in the UK used existing 4G core
networks to support 5G plus 4G connectivity although operators are now
moving to deploy cloud-native, container-based 5G packet core infrastructure,
which can be used to control 4G/5G ‘non-standalone’ radio networks, plus 5G
standalone services. Early implementations of 5G virtualised core networks
have also progressed in the private 5G market. Many 5G equipment vendors
are involved in multiple proof-of-concept and testbed programmes in the UK
and around the world demonstrating how 5G core network platforms are
evolving. Most often, early proof of concept is specific to individual use cases,
and may not be aligned with the vision of 5G offering multiple end-to-end
slices simultaneously able to meet different user requirements.
Many advanced Virtualisation and ‘cloudification’ (making virtual 5G core networks compatible
5G capabilities with cloud implementations) is important because many of the advanced
rely on capabilities that are captured in the 5G vision (including ultra-low latency and
virtualised dynamic end-to-end slicing) rely on virtualised architectures being
architectures implemented. 5G SA architectures also promise to transform the total cost of
being ownership by reducing the cost of deploying large hardware solutions.
implemented Conversely, the transition from 5G non-standalone (NSA) to 5G SA raises
several complexities and requires significant support from equipment vendors
through implementation contracts. Hence the cost and complexity of this
transition may affect the timelines for these changes being made. A further
risk for MNOs is that current 5G core solutions are immature and not yet
proven for large-scale roll-outs. This means that timelines to deploy 5G core
networks have become misaligned with those to deploy 5G radio, since MNOs
have proceeded with deploying 5G radio, but without the corresponding 5G
core networks. This immaturity in 5G core solutions for large-scale roll-outs is
also one reason why it appears that MNOs have started to deliver 5G services
to industrial and enterprise users via private 5G networks, using shared-
access spectrum in the 3.8-4.2GHz band together with separate on-site core
networks serving specific customers. The evolution path from these disparate
networks towards fully cloud-native, end-to-end 5G networks being deployed
nationwide is not yet clear. Several of the barriers to deployment presented
later in this report stem from the uncertainty concerning this migration towards
end-to-end virtualised capability.
2.4 How 5G will compare with other connectivity technologies

The usefulness It is noted that some early adopters of 5G will previously have used 4G
of 5G to connectivity, and some 5G users have and may continue to use Wi-Fi and
businesses that other short-range wireless technologies for some of the use cases that 5G will
have invested in support. Many businesses in the UK already rely on fixed broadband to
existing provide their main business connectivity. The Government’s full-fibre initiatives
technologies will include a recent £5bn ‘Project Gigabit’ to target hard to reach homes and
vary businesses with next generation (fixed) broadband infrastructure. What 5G
offers for businesses that have invested in existing technologies will vary
depending on the nature of each business and the individual requirements that
businesses have.
5G is being Some potential UK 5G have made substantial investments to optimise existing

rolled out as connectivity solutions for their specific deployment and usage needs, included
existing fibre broadband, and wireless solutions, including Wi-Fi, public and private 4G
connectivity deployments. The roll-out of 5G is taking place at the same time as existing
technologies wireless and fixed connectivity technologies (e.g. 4G, Wi-Fi, Fibre) are
expand their expanding their capabilities (Figure 2-1). There are a wide range of existing
capabilities low power wireless solutions (‘short range devices’, or SRD) used in the UK
market and elsewhere for asset tracking, wireless sensing radio frequency
identification (RFID), and other uses. These short-range devices use spectrum
designed for SRD use, which is typically harmonised across Europe for such
purposes. Spectrum bands used for these purposes include the 2.4GHz band,
widely used around the world not only for Wi-Fi but also for a range of other
short-range, low power wireless connections (Bluetooth, zigbee, etc.).
Investment in 5G is taking place in the UK at the same time as significant
investment is being made into full-fibre implementation across the country.
Competition is driving local investment in fibre with several firms creating
alternative fibre infrastructures in the UK in competition with the incumbent
provider, Openreach. As evidenced by other published literature, 5G and fibre
together are expected to benefit individuals, businesses, Governments and
wider society through enabling increases in broadband speeds (Oxera for the
Broadband Stakeholder Group, 2019).
Figure 2-1: Existing connectivity technologies which are expanding their capabilities
High speed mobile broadband, with the capacity provided

4G* varying depending on spectrum used and density of
infrastructure, together with 3GPP version (LTE/LTE-A)
Wi-Fi 6 is the next generation of Wi-Fi technology with

Wi-Fi 6 improved speed and features to improve device efficiency,
although with performance dependent on spectrum used
Offers highest speed, low latency fixed connections into

Fibre homes and offices, and also plays a role in mobile
networks via offering high capacity fibre backhaul
LPWAN (NB-IoT, LoRa, Low power and lower bit technologies that support high
etc.) densities of connected devices, typically at lower bit rates
Short-range wireless A range of proprietary short-range wireless technologies

(including dedicated providing device to device connectivity, which includes
short- DSRC, also referred to as IEEE802.11p, which is
range communications designed to use the 5.9GHz band for vehicle to vehicle /
(DSRC), RFID etc). vehicle to roadside connectivity (V2V and V2I)
*Deployed in multiple frequency bands in the UK with different bandwidths/range – 4G low

bands (800/900MHz) provide coverage but limited capacity, whereas 4G mid-bands
(1800MHz and 2100MHz) provide greater capacity. 2300MHz and 2600MHz bands are
also used for 4G (2300MHz is only available to one UK MNO), offering high capacity.
Some capacity in 900MHz, 1800MHz and 2100MHz is also used for legacy 2G/3G
connectivity currently.
Source: Analysys Mason.
5G and fibre are 5G and fibre investment can be viewed as complementary in that 5G
complementary infrastructures will utilise fibre networks for backhaul purposes where
technologies… available.
…as are 5G As well as being overlaid onto 4G networks by MNOs to provide wide-area
radio and Wi-Fi coverage and mobility, 5G radio can also be deployed to provide localised
coverage (either outdoors, or indoors) to deliver use cases similar to those
provided by existing short-range wireless solutions such as Wi-Fi or other
proprietary short-range wireless technologies. These localised areas could be
indoors or outdoors (e.g. within an indoor business or factory setting, outdoors
in a factory yard or across an industrial campus).
Short-range wireless solutions such as Wi-Fi are limited to localised coverage
due to the stipulation of low transmit power and other restrictions placed on
use of licence exempt spectrum that these technologies use in the 2.4GHz or
5GHz band.
Existing Wi-Fi solutions are evolving currently with definition of a new ‘Wi-Fi 6’
specification. The consumer group, Which, have published a useful guide on
Wi-Fi-6 2.
5G and Wi-Fi both provide high data rates to support wireless data
applications, and the two technologies can co-exist together in several
environments (typical environments in which both 5G and Wi-Fi might be used
include in the home, in the office, while driving, or working remotely). There
are several key differences between the two technologies however, which are
summarised below:
• 5G technologies are standardised internationally by the Third Generation
Partnership Project (3GPP), which is a global standardisation group
formed of several regional standardisation bodies (such as the European
Telecommunications Standards Institute), and involving stakeholders
across the mobile industry, including large global mobile equipment
vendors and mobile operators. Wi-Fi is standardised by the IEEE, an
international standards organisation traditionally involving IT equipment
vendors.
• Wi-Fi operates around the world using two spectrum bands, at 2.4GHz and
at 5GHz. In many markets, including Europe, additional spectrum in the
lower 6GHz band is being made available to give further capacity for Wi-Fi
use. Several markets (e.g. USA, Brazil, Saudi Arabia) have made further
spectrum available in the upper 6GHz band. In Europe, future use of this
upper 6GHz spectrum was under discussion at the time of producing this
report (as part of preparations for the ITU World Radiocommunication
Conference in 2023). Spectrum used for Wi-Fi is available on a licence-
exempt basis in most markets. This means that equipment can be installed
without individual licences being needed, provided the equipment complies
with the technical conditions for use of the 2.5GHz and 5GHz bands.
These technical conditions are designed to enable co-existence between
the different Wi-Fi systems that share the same 2.4GHz and/or 5GHz
bandwidth. Technical conditions include limits on transmitted power and
limits on the types of antenna that can be attached to a Wi-Fi system. As
such, Wi-Fi is a popular choice to provide localised coverage (e.g. inside a
2
https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/wi-fi-routers-and-extenders/article/what-is-wi-fi-6-agTTG2Y9Jeni
home or an office), where power and coverage limitations do not inhibit

use.
• Wi-Fi is currently a popular choice for indoor wireless networks and will
continue to be used in this environment. Wi-Fi is not typically deployed
outdoors, although some outdoor deployments do exist. Whilst 5G
deployment is taking place using outdoor base stations currently, it is
envisaged that some 5G deployment will be indoors (e.g. using 3.5GHz or
26GHz small cells). Within the indoor environment therefore, 5G is likely to
be an alternative to deploying Wi-Fi. Conversely, where some users have
already invested in large-scale indoor Wi-Fi coverage, those users seem
unlikely to replace this Wi-Fi coverage with 5G for areas where Wi-Fi
already covers in the short term.
• Where 5G and Wi-Fi networks potentially compete is therefore largely in
the indoor environment, where businesses who have invested in Wi-Fi
coverage might question the need for 5G. In the current market, a hybrid
model often applies to provide coverage to larger outdoor/indoor
environments such as campuses, stadiums and rail stations. This hybrid
model is enabled through consumer devices (smartphones, tablets etc)
having both cellular and Wi-Fi capabilities. Users who subscribe to a 4G
mobile network but also use a Wi-Fi-enabled device can therefore choose
which capability to use in different locations and circumstances. What is
likely to change in the 5G era is that the amount of data being transferred
will be considerably higher. This surge in data use is likely to lead to a
reduction in user experience and use case capabilities if relying on Wi-Fi
technology, given that the capacity of Wi-Fi is fixed (based on the amount
of spectrum available, which is also shared across the entire Wi-Fi
market). What 5G promises to deliver over and above Wi-Fi in
environments such as stadiums, indoor enterprise or industrial settings, is
very high capacity (both for downlinks and uplinks) to address very large
amounts of data. It is also possible that 5G deployment might better
address some types of indoor use (such as covering a building with
several floors, for example).
• In summary, both Wi-Fi 6 and 5G will offer improved user experience
through lower latency and higher bandwidth compared to the respective
previous generations of those technologies (i.e. Wi-Fi 6 provides
performance improvements over previous generations of Wi-Fi technology
and 5G provides improvements over 3G/4G).
• 5G, however is expected to differentiate itself from Wi-Fi 6 (as 4G does
over existing Wi-Fi solutions) by providing wide-area mobility with longer
network ranges as well as native core / network slice integration
capabilities.
4G and 5G will Similarly, 4G and 5G are expected to act as complementary technologies in

complement the short term as operators continue to expand 5G networks and rely on
each other in the current 4G coverage, with more immediate use cases largely focused on
short term providing 5G-based mobile broadband to individual consumers and
businesses. According to GSMA’s ‘The Mobile Economy 2020’ report (2020),
4G connections accounted for 52% of mobile connections worldwide in 2019
and is still expected to see some further growth in the next five years. It is
evident however, that some of the more transformative benefits of 5G,
compared to previous mobile technologies, are still some years away and are
dependent on the full portfolio of 5G spectrum bands (medium and high

frequencies) and virtualisation of the 5G core (see Figure 2-2).
Figure 2-2: Transformative benefits of 5G enabled through in mid- and high-band

frequencies together with virtualisation of the 5G core
Ultra-fast, low latency*, mobile connectivity, which,

5G mid band (3.5GHz) /
together with 5G core networks (inc. cloud-based) and
5G high band (26GHz)
edge cloud, enables end-to-end, dynamic slicing
Higher-speed, lower latency overlay to 4G (but without mid

5G low band (700MHz) band/high band and 5G core, is unlikely to deliver high
capacity or end-to-end slicing on its own)
Re-farming of existing spectrum from 3G/4G use to 5G,

which is also enabled through various technology solutions
5G using existing mobile
offered by major vendors (such as Ericsson spectrum
bands
sharing, enabling an MNO to share spectrum within its
network between 4G and 5G traffic)
▪ Cloud refers to on-demand IT services used by

enterprises and businesses delivered over the internet
▪ Edge computing helps remove latency limitations
Edge computing and
between networks and devices
Cloud computing
▪ 5G core network refers to virtualising the core network
topology – cloud-native refers to taking this topology
into the cloud
Note: * Depending on deployment used
The benefits of The capabilities of 5G compared to 4G are discussed extensively in published

5G compared to reports. Some of the reported benefits of 5G as compared to 4G ( (GSMA
4G 2020), (5G.co.uk 2020), (Analysys Mason 2018)) are outlined below:
• 5G may enable a large amount of spectrum to be aggregated – even
across different frequency bands – to achieve higher peak/average speeds
(both uplink and downlink)
• 5G.co.uk (5G.co.uk 2020) reported that 4G real-world download speeds
averaged 20-30Mbit/s, where 5G real world speeds sat at 150Mbit/s-
1Gbit/s. 3 However, the expectation is that 5G speeds could increase to
10Gbit/s (>1000x greater than that achieved by 4G) as stand-alone
networks develop
• In addition to higher speeds, 5G is expected to provide much improved
latency when compared to 4G, i.e. 21-26ms versus 50ms. Theoretically,
5G latency could reach 1ms, however, substantial networks
enhancements will be required before that is achieved
• 5G is expected to make use of associated technologies (e.g. mobile edge-
cloud, AI, small cells) for the development of agile and dynamic networks,
3
Opensignal report (Opensignal 2019) found that the top 5G speed reached by any MNO network in the UK
was 599Mbit/s (between April-September 2019).
providing superior speeds, latency and coverage required for use cases
enabled by 5G. (see standalone Appendix A for a full list of 5G use cases)
• In previous cellular network evolutions, 4G was noted for providing
significant speed improvements compared to 3G for mobile data use. As
well as providing further improvements in speeds compared to 4G, 5G is
also expected to facilitate the emergence of new use cases, not currently
possible through other mobile technologies. (see standalone Appendix A
for a full list of 5G use cases)
• Network slicing capabilities (born through 5G networks) will support the
provision of end-to-end dedicated capacity and tailored uplink/download
speeds
• Currently, 4G offers superior coverage to 5G as continue to expand 5G
networks. The aim however, is for 5G networks to dynamically provide the
‘perception’ of ubiquitous coverage by predicting user capacity
requirements and movements, thus providing seamless and sufficient
network availability
The benefits of In summary, the speed improvements from 5G versus 4G appears to be well
5G extend documented, however, some published documents (including from the mobile
beyond just industry itself) indicate that other benefits of 5G might be less well understood
faster speeds, currently. The GSMA for example refers to the benefits of 5G for enterprises
but are less well not being realised until 5G stand-alone deployments are available. The GSMA
understood refers to the benefits of capabilities such as network slicing, edge computing
and low latency services taking time to penetrate the market, resulting in a risk
that some users believe that 4G remains ‘good enough’ (GSMA 2020).
It is clear that current 5G services will evolve as MNOs continue to upgrade
their networks. These further infrastructure upgrades and network functionality
investments and enhancements will be required for full 5G benefits (e.g.
arising from superior latency performance, bespoke network slices and edge
computing) to be demonstrated.
2.5 5G may be complementary or synergistic to other advanced

technologies
Five types of The timing of 5G adoption may be complementary or synergistic to the
advanced emergence or maturation of other advanced technologies. There are five key
technologies that types of associated technologies that either enable or benefit from 5G services
enable or benefit and building up these technologies is important for 5G success, both from a
from 5G services capability and ecosystem perspective – namely, IoT, cloud computing, AI, XR
and automation and robotics. 5G characteristics and capabilities (including
those that are still expected to emerge through future 3GPP releases and
network investments) are likely to enhance the experience of these advanced
technologies. Additionally, experience may also be enhanced through the
improved connectivity service that 5G provides over other connectivity
technologies (e.g. 4G and Wi-Fi). This improvement in connectivity and
service from 5G (e.g. lower latency, higher bandwidth and improved mobility
when compared to Wi-Fi) may provide impetus for adoption of advanced
technologies and associated use cases. Summaries of 5G-associated
advanced technologies are included below:
IoT (IoT)
• 5G enhances communication functionality for IoT connectivity and brings
about greater flexibility in terms of type of devices, and number of devices
supported in the core network (with 5G IoT capabilities being referred to as
massive machine-type connections, or mMTC). However, in parallel to 5G-
based mMTC being specified, 4G-based IoT solutions are still evolving
and being deployed.
• NB-IoT is an LTE-based technology used for low power wide area
applications like cameras traffic lights and environmental sensors,
according to Vodafone’s website 4.
• LTE-M is also an LTE-based IoT technology providing higher-
bandwidth IoT applications compared to NB-IoT. Telefonica’s website
refers to LTE-M providing asset tracking, utilities monitoring and
assisted living and smart city applications 5.
• NR-Light is a 3GPP Release 17 capability aimed at developing a new
5G IoT device type meant to provide lower complexity and reduced
energy consumption compared to previous generations of cellular IoT
such as NB-IoT and LTE-M.
Cloud computing
• Edge computing enables low latency 5G applications by bringing
computing capabilities closer to the application.
• XR (eXtended reality, including augmented reality (AR), virtual reality
(VR) and mixed reality (MR)) and audio visual devices can offload their
computing resources to the edge network without suffering latency
issues such that cost can be kept low and devices can be miniaturised.
• Remote control in machinery, vehicles, drones can be carried out with
low latency for precise movements.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• 5G enables the proliferation of sensors and faster data transfer, enabling
the collection and processing of increasing amounts of data. Better data
inputs result in better AI models.
• AI is important to 5G as it helps to make sense of the large volume of data
to derive actionable insights.
• AI can play a role in managing 5G networks through software.
eXtended reality (XR) – Augmented, virtual and mixed reality

• High bandwidth capabilities bring better quality content to XR applications
for a more realistic and immersive experience (e.g. high definition (HD)/4K
content streaming to XR headsets).
• Low latency capabilities enable content to be delivered with minimal delay
for a more comfortable user experience.
4
https://publicsector.vodafone.co.uk/services/vodafone-narrow-band-iot/
5
https://www.o2.co.uk/business/solutions/iot/lte-m
• XR adoption has not taken off as expected and the benefits promised by
5G could potentially move the needle and catalyse mainstream adoption.
Automation and robotics (including drones)

• There are two main types of automation and robotics applications:
• remote control where the application is being controlled by an operator
in a separate location (e.g. control room/head office);
• autonomous where the application is being powered by an AI algorithm
and carry out tasks without need for human intervention.
• Remote control: low latency network feature enables a central control
room to be able to make real-time, precise actions based on the robot’s
surroundings. This can be applied to vehicles, construction machinery,
plant equipment where real-time actions are critical to ensure safety.
• Autonomous: low latency and edge computing helps the robots/drones
make fast autonomous decisions such that timely responses can be made
to ensure safety.
• Network slicing is critical to robotics applications as network QoS can be
guaranteed for effective and safe application.
Whilst it is understood that 5G-associated advanced technologies are likely to

enable or benefit from 5G services, it is clear that the emergence,
development and maturity of these advanced technologies are dependent on
an entire supply-chain to support them. This includes fully-deployed and
capable networks with sufficient coverage, as well as available and maturing
ecosystems providing productised and affordable devices with shorter lead
times.
3 Applications and benefits of 5G
This chapter provides an overview of the main ways in which 5G is expected

to be applied (the use cases) and who the main consumer groups are
expected to be. There then follows a summary of the benefits that are
expected to be derived from the exploitation of 5G across different consumer
groups.
3.1 5G consumer groups, sectors and use cases

Using evidence gathered from published literature, together with reports of use
cases being tested in the 5GTT programme, a list of 5G use cases was
developed for discussion with DCMS.
These cases were identified based on what has been presented in published
literature as being 5G-enabled use cases (i.e. benefitting from full capabilities
of 5G, such as use cases needing very high capacity, machine-type
connections, low latency and/or high reliability, and/or use cases where 5G
provides an improvement compared to existing solutions e.g. higher capacity
for eMBB, relative to 4G). The identified list of use cases was corroborated
through discussion with the DCMS team, along with the stakeholder workshop
and one-to-one stakeholder interviews conducted for this study (see Section
1.3). It is noted that within the scope of the study, it was not possible to
conduct one-to-one interviews with stakeholders from all of the identified 5G
consumer groups.
Nine 5G We then identified what sectors of the market will use the different use cases,
consumer groups and we organised user sectors into nine key groups. Each of our nine ‘5G
are identified consumer groups’ represents several sectors of potential 5G users. For each
sector of use, there are multiple 5G use cases (or applications) that are widely
discussed in the literature we have reviewed.
Consumer groups and sectors are shown in Table 3-1. Consumer groups
therefore represent related sectors of the economy e.g. the public services
consumer group represents all public sector uses of 5G.
Each consumer group consists of a mixture of individual consumers, private
firms and the public sector, all of whom might be consumers of 5G. This is
further discussed in Section 3.3.
Table 3-1: Summary of consumer groups and sectors
Consumer group Sector

1 Media and entertainment 1a Gaming
1b Media
1c Venues and events
2 Public services 2a Health and social care
2b Education
2c Public safety and security
3 Energy and utilities 3a Utilities
3b Oil and gas
3c Mining
3d Renewables
4 Rural industries 4a Agriculture

4b Forestry
4c Fishing
4d Tourism
5 Smart urban 5a Smart cities
5b Construction
5c Professional services
5d Tourism
6 Transport 6a Public transport
6b Automotive
6c Airports
6d Water transport
7 Manufacturing, logistics and distribution 7a Freight
7b Ports
7c Smart factories
8 High-speed broadband into homes and 8a Homes
offices 8b Offices
9 Retail and hospitality 9a E-commerce
9b Hospitality
Existing An issue to consider when assessing demand for 5G services, and

technologies can subsequently the benefits of 5G, is that some potential 5G users might already
already support use existing wireless technologies to address some of the use cases identified
some 5G use below. However, our assumption is that 5G infrastructure will provide
cases but 5G enhanced performance for these use cases, compared to using earlier cellular
may enable new technology (i.e. given that 5G infrastructure will offer higher capacity and
use cases that higher peak speeds, lower latency and higher reliability). New 5G architecture
existing will enable network functions to be handled in software, which will also enable
technologies new uses, and enhance existing ones, by enabling effective processing (and
cannot support AI-type analysis) of large volumes of data, for example. In addition, 5G will
introduce the definition and orchestration of network slices, to allocate network
resources dynamically and in a quality-managed way to different users and
applications. As such, 5G infrastructure might also enable entirely new use
cases that are not possible using today’s wireless infrastructure.
New or In our analysis we have sought to identify the capabilities of 5G which,
enhanced compared to previous generations of mobile technology, enable enhanced or
applications new uses that are expected to underpin 5G demand and adoption. We have
enabled by 5G referred to these capabilities as 5G-enabled applications or ‘5G applications’,
as described in Table 3-2.
Table 3-2: Description of 5G applications
5G applications Description
VR/AR Real-time, high-speed, low-latency and managed QoS
connectivity for VR/AR
UHD video Real-time, high-speed, low-latency support for UHD
video
Robotics Real-time, mission-critical, high-speed, ultra low-latency
and managed QoS connectivity for robotics
Autonomous/connected vehicles Real-time, high-speed, ultra low-latency wide-area and

managed QoS connectivity for autonomous vehicles
Drones Real-time, low-latency, wide-area 5G connectivity for
drones
Remote object/machine Real-time, mission-critical, high-speed, ultra low-latency
manipulation and managed QoS connectivity for remote object and
machine manipulation
Sensor networks Real-time, high-density, wide-area connectivity for
sensor network collation and data mining
High-speed broadband High-speed wireless broadband connectivity to homes
and offices
Smart tracking Real-time, wide-area 5G connectivity for smart tracking
A summary of key 5G applications per consumer group are presented in Table

3-3.
Table 3-3: Key 5G applications per consumer group
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Media and Entertainment
Manufacturing logistics
High speed broadband

into homes and offices
Retail and Hospitality
Energy and Utilities
Rural industries
and distribution
Public services
Smart urban
Transport
VR/AR
UHD video
Robotics
Drones
Remote object/machine
manipulation
Sensor networks
High-speed broadband
Smart tracking
Autonomous/connected vehicles
3.2 Evidence on 5G use cases and consumer groups

This section provides a discussion on 5G demand, use cases and relevant
consumer groups.
Mobile We found that initial deployment is being driven by a need to provide

broadband additional capacity for MBB consumers. Other uses of 5G such as industrial,
demand is transport, healthcare etc. are not widely served yet by public networks,
driving initial although several trials are being conducted in specific sectors (ports,
deployment by manufacturing, utilities), with a view to furthering the understanding of how 5G
MNOs as they do might be deployed to meet these different requirements.
not understand
We identified four key early adopters of 5G:
other use cases
• individual consumers;
• media and entertainment;
Evidence • broadband; and,
identifies four
• industrial IoT.
key early
adopters of 5G Individual consumers were identified as obvious early adopters of 5G, driven
by eMBB focus from MNOs and new 5G handsets coming to market. Use
cases linked to eMBB capabilities include temporary mobile sites, improved
video download speeds (including UHD) and AR/VR. Other early adopters
include media and entertainment, and broadband in homes and offices (e.g.
FWA, eMBB connectivity). Industrial IoT is also highlighted as an earlier use
case of 5G when applied to manufacturing, energy and utilities, smart urban
and transport. Use cases dependent on later 3GPP releases (16/17), or those
demanding ultra-low latency, mission critical connectivity (automation,
robotics, AR/VR in surgeries etc.) using nationwide 5G networks will largely
depend on further investment being made to add these capabilities, which
may emerge at a later stage.
Table 3-4: Use cases relevant to different consumer groups
Consumer group Use cases

Media and UHD video consumption; content production; immersive and
entertainment location-based digital experiences (e.g. interactive concerts,
holographic streaming and enhanced football games); live
media streaming
Public services Temporary/mobile eMBB connectivity (e.g. vaccination
sites); mobility for public service workers; IoT deployments
for remote patient monitoring and predictions; ultra-reliable,
ultra-low latency uses cases such as AR/VR and robotics for
training and surgery (longer-term)
Energy and utilities Large scale IoT deployment for utility networks; AR/VR for
underground network mapping; UHD off-site communications
and training; drones to analyse resource sites (e.g. quarries,
mines, reservoirs)
Rural industries Rural MBB connectivity to consumers and businesses;
immersive, virtual experiences for tourism; IoT deployments
for environmental monitoring
Smart urban The use cases within smart urban are diverse but might
include video surveillance (CCTV); large scale IoT and high
density sensor networks; construction; traffic management;
immersive, virtual experiences for tourism, leisure and retail;
large events (immersive experiences at stadiums)
Transport Roadside small cell deployments for connected cars;
connected vehicles (V2X); offloading flight data at terminals
(e.g. Passenger data); ultra-low latency and reliable
connectivity for public transport signalling or radio systems;

real-time video for driverless transport vehicles (long-term)
Manufacturing, logistics End-to-end integration of solutions; outdoor connectivity
and distribution (where Wi-Fi or 4G may be unsuitable); machine mobility
(wireless factory floors); smart tracking; sensor networks and
datamining (e.g. geolocation, motion sensors,
measurements, predictive maintenance); supply-chain, asset
and capacity management; AR/VR for remote maintenance
and remote control; image processing for remote quality
control and product life cycle; automated guided vehicles;
automated machinery/robotics (e.g. semi-nomadic cranes,
automated process machinery)
Broadband into homes eMBB connectivity (mobile or FWA); remote working; mobility
and offices for users; UHD video; AR/VR
Retail and hospitality The use cases within retail and hospitality are diverse and
might overlap with some of those identified above (e.g. in the
smart urban consumer group) – for example, mixed reality e-
commerce (e.g. shopping online at a fashion event); content
creation for advertising; augmented shopping experiences.
Many potential Many industrially-focused users (energy and utilities, manufacturing, transport)
users are at very that have started looking at these 5G use cases, or have received funding for
early stages of 5G trials, appear to be at very early stages of 5G adoption, with proof of
adoption, with concepts (PoC) still being developed or tested in lab environments before they
deployment are deployed in real world situations. These PoC can take some time to
some way off establish, and subsequent migration to full commercial deployment is also not
guaranteed.
Enterprise and Enterprise and industrial users (e.g. transport, manufacturing) and/or those
industrial users working within dedicated spaces (venues and stadiums, manufacturing floors)
and those might be key areas where 5G private networks may be favoured over public
working within networks. Mobile operators around the world are still adjusting to offering
dedicated differentiated enterprise and vertically-focused solutions using tailored 5G
spaces may connectivity, and will take time to implement the latest network functionalities
favour private 5G offered by the most recent 3GPP (i.e. 5G standard) releases in their public
networks networks. Additionally, standardised or fully commercial vendor offerings are
still being established based on the latest 5G standards. As a result, short-
term demand from ‘early adopters’ in industrial or enterprise segments may be
addressed by private networks. Key features of private networks might
include: vertically-focused solutions; on-site data security and data processing;
network control; flexibility to tailor uplink and downlink capacity distinct for
dedicated spaces.
5G applications that might be delivered using dedicated private networks
include use cases where specific connectivity guarantees (e.g. in terms of
capacity, reliability or latency) might be needed: examples of use cases
included industrial use of AR/VR, industrial use of UHD video, autonomous
vehicles or machines (in a factory, campus or enterprise site); automated
guided vehicles, or AGVs (in a factory or port environment); mission-critical or
remote object and machine manipulation, robotics, sensor networks (in a
dedicated/defined space).
Some 5G 5G applications that would be more suited to public networks include use
applications are cases requiring wide-area coverage or wide-area mobility, e.g. high-speed
more suited to broadband (FWA home and office, consumer mobile connectivity on
public networks handsets); connected vehicles (ambulances, buses, passenger vehicles on
roads); sensor networks (for smart cities, logistics and distribution, public
services consumer groups); smart tracking.
3.3 Consumer group benefits and beneficiaries

The users of 5G within each of the consumer groups identified in the previous
section are a mixture of individual consumers, households, businesses and
the public sector. Whether and how different users decide to invest in a 5G
product or solution will vary between business-to-consumer (B2C) and
business-to-business (B2B) 5G services. Given that 5G modems and
subscriber identity modules (SIMs) can be embedded into different types of
products (vehicles, machines and other types of equipment in the IoT), there is
also a business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) category of 5G services.
These different modes of consumption of 5G services can be considered as
follows:
• B2C: This refers to 5G connectivity consumed directly as a service, e.g.
individual consumption for 5G-based fixed wireless access (FWA) and
mobile broadband. Broadly speaking, B2C services are what previous
generations of mobile technology have focussed on. In the 4G era in
particular, the mobile industry has been successful in expanding the
market for B2C services via smartphones, including video streaming, e-
sports and a wide range of mobile-focussed applications (e.g. taxi booking
applications such as Uber, social media applications). The range of
potential B2C 5G services is vast, and 5G is likely to bring more immersive
consumer experiences such as immersive retail, media and entertainment,
as identified by the use cases and consumer groups discussed in the
previous section of this report.
• B2B: This refers to 5G connectivity used within business and/or industrial
processes. 5G for businesses is poised to be where the most
transformative applications of 5G emerge, with consequential benefit
through cost savings and productivity enablement – for example a 5G-
connected machine or sensors in a production line that could either enable
products to be produced more quickly, or equipment downtime to be
avoided through predictive maintenance, for example.
• B2B2C: This refers to 5G-enabled solutions and connectivity embedded
into end-consumer products – these embedded solutions might include
5G-connected vehicles, 5G-connected CCTV, 5G-enabled health
monitoring systems and so forth. For B2B2C 5G services, the user is likely
to purchase 5G connectivity as part of a solution being purchased from
another business. This B2B2C 5G service category might include 5G
buyers in the public sector, as well as firms and individuals.
A summary of the predominant mode of consumption for 5G in different

consumer groups and relevant sections is included in Table 3-5 below.
Table 3-5: Predominant mode of consumption for 5G in different consumer groups
Consumer group Sector B2B B2C B2B2C

Media and Entertainment Gaming 
Media  
Venues and events  
Public services Health and social care  
Education 
Public safety and  
security
Energy and utilities Utilities  
Oil and gas  
Mining 
Renewables  
Rural industries Agriculture  
Forestry  
Fishing  
Tourism   
Smart urban Smart cities  
Construction  
Professional services 
Tourism  
Transport Public transport  
Automotive  
Airports  
Water transport  
Manufacturing, logistics and Freight  
distribution
Ports  
Smart factories  
High-speed broadband into Home broadband 
homes and offices Office broadband 
Retail and hospitality e-commerce  
Hospitality  
Source: Analysys Mason
The main factors considered when deciding to invest in 5G can vary between
the different modes of consumption and the business case for 5G is
intrinsically linked to an individual use case. Analysys Mason’s Research
Division publishes connected consumer surveys for different world regions,
and for different types of telecommunications service – mobile, TV, video,
digital services, over the top (OTT) services etc. In a recent mobile survey, a
key finding was that respondents were primarily interested in the ability of 5G
to improve download speeds, video resolution and gaming performance. For
example, new 5G services that individual consumers expressed interest in
paying more for included AR/VR services such as virtual chatrooms,
immersive gaming and in-car entertainment. (Analysys Mason, Connected
Consumer 2020: 5G, data consumption and monetisation). For B2B and
B2B2C 5G services, interest in 5G is potentially also driven by the use cases
offered, albeit that these use case might be packaged differently to those
offered to individual consumers. Hence, it is likely to be the more innovative
services that showcase 5G in the B2B and B2B2C sectors, such as AR/VR.
Since these services will help to stimulate demand for high-performance

connectivity more generally, the speed and latency advantages of 5G will have
a key role to play.
Based on the literature we have reviewed for this study and the evidence
presented to us during the study, we have identified the following criteria that
different types of users and modes of consumption (B2C and B2B) might
consider when investing in 5G. The criteria for B2B2C investment in 5G
depends on whether utility of 5G is primarily accrued to individuals or
businesses and as such sits across the criterion outlined below. When
choosing a 5G solution, individuals and businesses will inevitably consider
how 5G compares with existing and/or alternative solutions available to
address the envisaged uses (e.g. 4G, fibre, Wi-Fi, etc.). These considerations
are reflected within the various criteria shown below such as price, coverage,
etc.
Table 3-6: Criteria for investing in 5G – individual consumers and households (B2C)
Criteria Description
Price • The cost of devices plus the monthly charge, but also including factors
such as price compared to existing solutions (e.g. 4G) data allowances,
the functionality of new devices, choice of mobile provider, customer
services offered etc.
Coverage • The total coverage or coverage in specific locations relevant to an
individual consumer (where I live, where I work, indoors etc.)
• How 5G compares to coverage from existing solutions (4G, Wi-Fi) in the
specific locations
Data speeds • The improvement in user experience and engagement that the 5G
service / device offers (compared to an existing solution, if relevant),
and/or better quality for services used currently via existing solutions
(e.g. quality of entertainment)
New services • This refers to new services that 5G might enable that are not available
via existing solutions (AR/VR, immersive content, e-sports, etc.)
• B2C consumers might also be attracted to 5G as an alternative way of
receiving a broadband connection, which might be considered a new
service for individual or households (e.g. 5G FWA instead of fibre or
fixed broadband)
• Supplier influence might also be a factor in new services (e.g. MNOs or
device manufacturers promoting new services using a 5G smartphone to
incentivise 4G users to upgrade handsets to a 5G-enabled device)
Perception of • This includes individuals being concerned about health risks from 5G as
the technology well as awareness of the technology and the benefits it brings
Table 3-7: Criteria for investing in 5G – businesses and the public sector (B2B)
Criteria Description
Price • Total cost of ownership, total deployment cost, opex and other equipment-
related spend needed to enable the 5G use cases, over the lifetime of the
equipment
• Cost-benefit analysis (e.g. comparison of the cost of a 5G solution
compared to existing ones, compared to the additional functionality/benefits
provided)
• Extent to which 5G supports specified improvements within the business
(cost savings, productivity, reduced machinery downtime, additional data
insights or visualisations etc.)
• The contribution to the investment made by suppliers and the incentives
offered (e.g. scope of contract offered, payment, models, service level
agreements)
Supplier • This refers to network provider choice/influence of mobile providers – some
push B2B users who already use non-5G services from an MNO might be
encouraged by the MNO to migrate to a 5G solution
Coverage • The total coverage or coverage in specific locations relevant to the business
(which might include coverage for an individual campus or factory, or for
multiple locations across the UK, or across international locations)
Data • The improvement in user experience that the 5G service / device offers,
speeds which include better quality for services used as well as factors such as
reliability, network availability
New • Demonstration of the ability of 5G to deliver specific use cases that the
services business needs, including adding mobility to use cases that the business
already makes use of via a fixed network; for example, for health workers
who have access to real-time video applications or other visual tools (e.g.
precision geo-mapping) whilst indoors or in the office, 5G might enable
access to the same tools whilst outdoors or on the move, in a way that
could not have been delivered using 4G due to constraints of
bandwidth/latency of connection
Risks and • Associated risks of the 5G investment (which might be tested via a proof of
feasibility concept ahead of full investment)
• Practical implementation issues
• Availability, catalogue and lead time on hardware/software to deploy 5G
Return on • How costs can be recovered over the lifetime of the investment
investment
Security • Assurance that the network security features offered by the proposed 5G
installation meets business requirements
3.4 The benefits of 5G

Several Compared to previous mobile broadband standards, 5G is designed to enable
challenges mean a wider range of use cases and applications; and thus, a potentially greater
the existing range of benefits.
evidence on
benefits is limited
and uncertain
While the identification and conceptualisation of these benefits is relatively

well evidenced (but evolving, as new use cases emerge), the quantification of
these benefits is limited and subject to uncertainty.
One key reason for this is that 5G is a relatively new technology that, as of
early 2021, is only just beginning to be rolled out in the UK and around the
world, and will evolve as further investment is made into services and
solutions. This means there are very few empirical data on the roll out,
adoption and application of 5G. In the absence of such data, it is difficult to
estimate the scale and nature of benefits associated with 5G.
Existing Existing studies have attempted to estimate the overall impact or benefit of
estimates either 5G. However, faced with the same data limitations, these studies all provide
rely on subjective ex ante estimates which either rely on assumptions about the nature and scale
assessments of of the adoption of 5G and the benefits it brings; or draw on the empirical
the impact of 5G evidence on the evolution and impact of previous technologies, such as 4G, to
or assume 5G is approximate or make assumptions about how 5G will be adopted and the
comparable to benefits it will bring.
previous
Both approaches have limitations. Studies based on the impacts of previous
technologies
technologies can use robust estimates of these impacts but are restricted by
the assumption that 5G is comparable to previous technologies. Studies which
forecast the impact of 5G based purely on expert assessment can assume
that the impact of 5G will be more transformative, but such forecasts are
highly subjective. The trade-off between the extent to which these studies are
grounded in empirical data and the extent to which they consider the specifics
of 5G reflects the limited evidence base.
Non-linear Another limitation of the evidence base is that many of the benefits apply a
benefits are not standardised (impact per user) approach. In reality, it is likely that the benefits
well evidenced of 5G may not grow linearly with the number of users. A general weakness of
the evidence base is that it does not provide very much insight into non-linear
benefits (e.g. critical mass effects, positive/negative feedback effects).
Few, if any, Finally, there are few studies which quantitatively bring together benefits in
studies provide a social, economic and environmental spheres. For example, separate studies
comprehensive may address productivity gains in manufacturing and social gains in wellbeing
assessment of healthcare patients, but few papers found in the evidence review brought
across the together these diverse benefits in a comparable and commensurable way.
different types of
Issues specific to individual users groups are also identified for a number of
benefits
cases. For example, where estimates based on stakeholder participation may
lack precision or be subject to optimism bias; where estimates based on case
studies or small pilot studies may not be a reliable indicator of the potential
benefits industry-wide. In other studies, the additionality of 5G for the benefits
of applications supported by multiple connectivity technologies is often not
identified and thus uncertain; or based on expert but subjective judgement.
There is also a tendency for existing studies to focus on the economic benefits
and overlook non-market social benefits or environmental benefits.
Nonetheless, below we summarise the broad types of benefits identified in the
literature and how these might be felt across the different consumer groups.
Broad types of benefits
Types of benefits identified in the literature can be summarised as follows and
are captured in the logic map in Figure 3-1:
• Economic benefits – The most often cited economic benefits of 5G use

are increased productivity to firms and additional GDP growth (in many
cases linked to increased productivity). Economic benefits are also often
expressed in terms of cost reduction – for instance, when assessing the
economic benefits of 5G use on costs to the healthcare sector. These
economic benefits of 5G adoption are realised through a wide range of
mechanisms, including: reductions in factory downtime; lower defect rates
in manufacturing; energy efficiency gains; and reduced waste. Other
economic benefits identified in the literature are linked to the enabling
effects of 5G, including the creation of new business models and
businesses, increased labour force participation and the launch of new
products or services.
• Social benefits – Social benefits associated with 5G use cases include
increased life expectancy, improved public safety, better health, reduced
loneliness, and overall improvements in self-assessed quality of life and
life satisfaction metrics. Some social benefits arise from time savings
linked to increased productivity in housekeeping and reduced travel times.
Many studies note indirect social benefits as a result of improved
economic and environmental conditions; however, these tend to be
described qualitatively.
• Environmental benefits – Many of the environmental benefits of 5G are
linked to efficiency gains related to transport activities and the
consumption of energy and natural resources. These benefits include
reductions in traffic congestion and GHG emissions, reductions in the use
of energy, and lower consumption of natural resources, such as water.
Another key source of environmental benefits is linked to reduced demand
for travel due to improved connectivity and an increase in remote working.
Some environmental benefits are specific to particular consumer groups.
Benefits to Consumer Groups
• Media and entertainment – 5G will enable multiple new products and
experiences that could not be supported by older technologies, such as
VR experiences, augmented reality, cloud gaming and new media. The
economic benefits of these new products can be quantified based on the
additional revenues that these products are expected to generate, which
translates into additional output and GVA. Some studies also quantify the
environmental benefits of reduced travel due to remote participation in
events.
Figure 3-1 Logic map of 5G adoption and benefits
• Public services – The benefits to healthcare stem from cost savings
enabled by 5G technologies as a result of cheaper remote consultations
and remote care, more efficient chronic healthcare provision and real-time
monitoring of patients in clinical trials. The use of wearable health devices
results in better health outcomes and lower healthcare costs. 5G-enabled
technologies enable better provision of social care, which results in
additional social benefits, such as reduced loneliness and improved quality
of life. The benefits to the education sector include improved efficiency and
better learning outcomes due to better collaborative tools and AR
applications. 5G will also benefit public safety due to improved monitoring
and security devices, resulting in saved lives, and reduced damage from
burglary.
• Energy and utilities – 5G is expected to bring substantial energy
efficiency improvements due to its application to smart grids and smart
meters within utility companies themselves (such as remote expert support
for employees working in hazardous environments, 3G imaging of
underground assets, real-time video links, etc.). These are often quantified
in the literature as economic benefits (efficiency leading to energy cost
savings) as well as environmental benefits (reduced GHG emissions).
Similar technologies are also expected to reduce water use.
• Rural industries – The benefits are particularly important to agriculture,
where 5G will enable better monitoring of crops and livestock. The benefits
include higher crop yields, lower healthcare costs for livestock and time
savings. More efficient use of pesticides is also expected to generate
some environmental benefits. Overall, rural economies are also expected
to benefit from improved connectivity, which previous technologies could
not provide cost-effectively. These benefits include reduced cost of high-
speed connectivity and bringing households online, which is expected to
generate additional economic benefits through increased use of e-
commerce. There may also be social benefits associated with decreased
isolation and loneliness. However, the main existing evidence that
addresses social impacts of 5G on loneliness (notably the Liverpool 5G
Testbed) analyses 5G in an urban setting.
• Smart urban – Deployment of 5G-enhanced traffic management systems
(as one example of many smart urban use cases) is expected to reduce
congestion, generating economic and environmental benefits, such as
shorter travel times and lower GHG emissions. The use of drones for
inspection of urban areas will result in efficiency savings, reducing labour
time.
• Transport – In road transport, 5G will enable technologies such as
connected and autonomous vehicles. These technologies will result in
economic benefits due to more efficient utilisation of vehicles and reduced
congestion. These directly translate into further environmental effects.
Improvements in vehicle connectivity will enable better telematics used for
remote diagnostics and additional experiences for passengers. These are
valued in terms of monetary benefits per vehicle utilising these
technologies. Water transport benefits will be driven by efficiency gains at
ports, stemming from automation of operations and lower congestion.
• Manufacturing, logistics and distribution – 5G technologies will boost
productivity at smart factories, with technologies such as AR remote
support, digital tracking and advanced predictive maintenance expected to
reduce repair costs and downtime. AI cameras, environment monitoring

within the factory and AR-powered warehouse operations will result in
improved quality management. This will reduce out of spec production,
resulting in greater output, and lower GHG emissions and waste. Nascent
delivery drone logistics are expected to take over last mile delivery,
resulting in faster delivery and cost savings.
• Retail and hospitality – 5G use cases in the retail sector will enable
warehouse and supply optimisation, resulting in increased productivity.
New AR shopping experiences will enable additional revenue, increasing
the retail sector’s output. Also, AR applications will enable new
experiences to visitors, which will contribute to the tourism sector’s output.
• Broadband/super-fast connectivity – super-fast wireless connectivity will
enable widespread use of cloud computing. Cloud computing gives access
to superior resources on demand, resulting in increased productivity, and
in turn, in GDP growth. Cloud computing is also more energy efficient,
leading to additional environmental benefits in the form of lower GHG
emissions. 5G is also expected to provide super-fast connectivity to areas
not benefitting from comparable wired connections. Improved connectivity
will enable additional economic activity in these areas, resulting in GDP
growth and an increased labour participation rate.
3.5 Estimates of the magnitude of the benefits

In many studies A substantial strand of literature takes a high-level approach to estimating the
the benefits are economic benefits of 5G. Due to the variety of use cases across multiple
quantified at an consumer groups, 5G is treated as a general-purpose technology (GPT) and
aggregate the benefits are quantified at an aggregate economy-wide level. Studies taking
economy-wide this approach tend to draw on historical evidence by assuming that the
level impacts of 5G will be similar to the impacts of previous revolutionising
technologies on productivity growth or GDP growth
Other studies (Accenture 2018) (Oxera 2019) look at the past relationship
between connectivity speed and macroeconomic performance indicators, such
as GDP growth and business creation rate. By assuming that these
relationships will hold in the future, these studies estimate the contributions of
5G-enabled super-fast connectivity to future GDP growth or growth in the
number of business establishments and employment.
Top-down estimates of economy-wide benefits
The estimates of the economy-wide benefits of 5G by the Australian
Government (2018) assume that the productivity growth impacts will be similar
to those attributed to other general-purpose technologies in the past, such as
steam technology, mobile phones, or ICT. The study utilises various
assumptions based on these findings and the projections of 5G adoption,
which results in 18 scenario variants. Depending on the scenario, it is
estimated that 5G adoption in Australia will increase the productivity growth
rates by between 0.05% and 0.23%. These increases could occur over 10
years in some scenarios, while other scenarios assume that the effects will
continue for 30 years (assuming that 5G is a more transformative technology).
A similar approach has been taken in GSMA (2018) which assumes that the
maximum annual GDP growth rate enabled by 5G could reach 0.28%
worldwide. This value is informed by studies evaluating the past contribution of

broadband and mobile telecommunications to global economic growth. To
obtain GDP contributions by industry, 5G-enabled growth was distributed
across industries based on an assessment on how 5G use cases are relevant
to each industry.
Barclays (2019) estimates that the 5G roll-out in the UK will result in additional
output of between £8.3bn to £15.7bn in 2025, depending on the roll-out
scenario. Correspondingly, the impacts by 2030 could range between £51.9bn
and £89.6bn of additional output. These findings rely on modelling using the
evidence accumulated through desk research and business survey results.
Accenture (2018) estimates the benefits of 5G based on the impact of
previous generations of wireless connectivity in Canada. It finds that a 10%
increase in mobile network users from one quarter to the next generates, on
average, a 0.6% increase in GDP. The study extrapolates this result to obtain
the potential contribution of 5G to Canada’s GDP in the future.
Other studies rely on the estimated impacts of wired broadband. Oxera (2019)
estimates the combined impacts of super-fast fibre and 5G deployment. It
predicts an impact on productivity at between 0.3% and 3.8% as a result of
super-fast connectivity, basing this on findings on the impact of wired
broadband from IPSOS Mori (2018) and Ericsson, Arthur D. Little and
Chalmers University of Technology (2013). Additional impacts estimated by
Oxera (2019) include increase in the number of businesses operating in the
area benefitting from superfast connectivity, at between 0.4% and 3.2%, also
based on findings from other studies (Ericsson, Arthur D. Little and Chalmers
University of Technology 2013) (Hasbi 2017).
Some relevant findings are available on the economy-wide applications of
technologies related to 5G. CEBR (2016) estimates the value of big data and
IoT to the UK economy. The expected benefits of IoT in the UK over 2015-20
are valued at 0.7% of annual GDP. In other words, a 1% increase in IoT
adoption results approximately in a 0.02% increase in GDP. A study by AT
Kearney (2016) estimates that IoT could increase GDP growth by 7
percentage points through productivity growth and value redistributed to end
consumers in the EU. Approximately 30% of that impact is attributed to energy
savings and increased product durability, 20% is attributed to freed up time,
42% is due to productivity gains and 8% is the value of the IoT devices market
revenues.
Similarly, Deloitte (2019) estimates the potential impacts of 5G in Scotland as
a result of economy-wide cloud computing applications. The study borrows
from a previous study for the European Commission, which estimated that in
the EU for every 1% increase in cloud computing adoption, there is an
approximate 0.04% increase in GDP. The same Deloitte (2019) study relies on
CEBR (2016) study on UK SMEs, finding that cloud computing adoption
results in 0.02% increase in productivity per 1% increase in cloud computing
adoption. Additionally, the evidence from CEBR (2016) suggests that data
analytics and IoT will lead to creation of new businesses (3% and 5%
respectively).
However, given that IoT and big data applications can be supported by
communications technologies other that 5G, it is unclear how much of these
benefits should be attributed to 5G-enabled capabilities.
5G as a ‘general purpose technology’
An important and recurring finding of evidence analysed in this study was that
the role of 5G in future economic activity is highly uncertain. Studies (or
scenarios within studies) therefore need to take a stance on whether 5G will
have transformative and pervasive impacts on future economic activities or will
instead result in modest improvement to performance in limited sectors of the
economy. The former stance sometimes categorises 5G as a ‘general purpose
technology’ (GPT) – a technology which is characterised by “pervasiveness,
inherent potential for technical improvements and innovational
complementarities” (Bresnahan and and Trajtenberg 1995). Typical examples
of GPTs include steam power, electricity and ICT.
As a part of this study, estimates of the economic impacts of previous
technologies were collated and compared, including both GPTs (e.g.
electricity, steam etc) and technologies more comparable to 5G (4G/3G). This
was then critically evaluated to inform scenarios in the economic model (see
Section 7.1). The full list of economic impact estimates – expressed as a
percentage point uplift in growth and standardised where possible – is shown
in Figure 3-2:
Figure 3-2: Economic growth uplift across the full list of estimates from collated studies
(GPT & 5G-related technologies)
Sources: Cambridge Econometrics analysis; (Qiang, Rossotto and Kimura 2009); (Edquist,
Goodridge and Haskel 2021); (AT Kearney 2016)…
These results were further critically assessed by:

• condensing multiple estimates from the same study but across different
years;
• condensing multiple estimates where a high/low estimate is provided
(unless the difference between high & low estimates explicitly corresponds
to GPT vs non-GPT scenarios); and
• categorising studies into groups (GPT or ‘incremental’ improvement / non-
GPT technologies).
Some papers were also removed from the shortlist due to extreme results
and/or the studies’ ability to attribute causality (e.g. Qiang, Rossotto and
Kimura (2009)). The result of this critical analysis is shown in Figure 3-3.
The study finds that general purpose technologies tend to report a higher
impact than ‘incremental’ technologies. The median impact estimate of the
former was 0.35pp, while the median impact of the latter was 0.7pp.
Figure 3-3: Economic growth uplift across a shortlist list of estimates from collated
studies (GPT & 5G-related technologies)
This exercise is however indicative and is highly sensitive to the way in which
the shortlist of papers are selected and organised. Moreover, comparing
across papers in this way presents additional challenges of consistency
because the various studies adopt different assumptions, consider different
eras and report impacts on different economic variables (e.g. GVA vs multi-
factor productivity).
Economic benefits across consumer groups
The evidence analysed in this study suggests that 5G benefits to the
manufacturing sector – stemming from higher productivity and lower waste –
are likely to be large in magnitude. Benefits estimated vary from a 4%
increase in GDP (by 2030) (STL Partners and Huawei 2019), to a 5.4%
increase in annual revenues (by 2035) (IHS Markit 2019), and a £2.6bn
increase in revenues of the manufacturing sector in the UK (by 2026) (W5G
2020).
Productivity benefits are expected to generate large cost savings to the UK
logistics sector (£2.8bn by 2030) and correspond to increases in the UK
sector’s GDP (£1.2bn by 2030). Evidence from case studies suggests that this
will be boosted further by automation in ports.
Media and entertainment markets are expected to benefit from 5G
(predominantly via VR/AR applications). Estimates in the literature suggest
that this could increase the size of the media and entertainment sector by 4%
by 2030.
Cost savings are expected for public services (principally health and social
care), as a result of healthier lifestyles, remote provisioning and remote
monitoring (e.g. medication monitoring). One study estimates that this will
boost EU28 healthcare sector’s annual GDP by €235bn by 2025. Evidence
from the Liverpool 5G testbed indicates that cost savings will be in the region
of £2,500 per user per year. It is anticipated that the energy and utilities sector
too will experience a number of operational benefits, with an estimated annual
impact on the sector’s GDP contribution at 4.7% by 2030 according to one
study.
5G is expected to aid the Rural economy by boosting crop yields of arable
land and enabling better monitoring of livestock health in agriculture; and by
assisting with tourism (evidenced by an example application in the Pennines)
in rural areas.
Environmental benefits
Evidence of environmental benefits are also present in the literature,
predominantly relating to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions savings as a
result of 5G-enabled applications in energy and utilities (up to 6.4MTCO2 per
year) (O2 2018), reduced traffic and congestion (up to 370,000 tonnes of CO2
emissions per year in Scotland alone) (Deloitte 2019), GHG savings in
logistics (in a case study of a pilot deployment in a port, the result was a 8.2%
reduction in the port’s emissions) (Ericsson 2020), reduced waste in
manufacturing (Ericsson 2019) and general 5G efficiency gains compared to
previous generations.
Social benefits
Wellbeing and For certain use-cases – most notably in Health and Social Care applications –
life satisfaction there is evidence of improvements to the users’ perceived sense of wellbeing.
Liverpool 5G Health and Social Care Testbed (2019) identified the following
social impacts:
• Life satisfaction impacts – VR simulations (quizzing and gaming apps)
were found to increase reported life satisfaction by 1.4 points (out of 10).
Safehouse technologies (used to monitor the environments of vulnerable
individuals) were found to increase reported life satisfaction by 0.7 points
(out of 10).
• Loneliness / isolation impacts – VR simulations (quizzing and gaming
apps) were found to lead to: a 28% decrease in those who said that they
often felt that they lack companionship; a 20% decrease in those who said
that they often felt left out; and a 13% increase in those who said that they
hardly ever felt isolated from others. Push-to-talk services (5G-supported
hardware to enable individuals from vulnerable groups to connect and talk)
were found to lead to: a 25% increase in those who said that they hardly
ever felt that they lack companionship: a 75% increase in those that said
they hardly ever felt left out; and a 50% increase in those who said they
hardly ever felt isolated from others.
Confidence and independence – Medication support services were found to
lead to: a 73% increase in those confident and happy to take medication; a
53% increase in those who felt safe; and a 40% increase in service users
who felt more independent.
4 5G marketplace and readiness in the UK
While the focus of this study is on understanding the drivers and benefits of
5G adoption, and the impact of barriers to adoption on the realisation of
benefits, it is still helpful to step back and take stock of the state of play in the
UK 5G market. This helps to understand the current state of development of
the UK 5G market and how that is likely to change in future. This chapter
provides an overview of the current UK 5G marketplace with regard to recent
developments in the evolution of the 5G market, spectrum deployment,
network architecture, and standards; including the readiness of the UK for 5G
deployment and adoption.
4.1 Recent developments

MNOs first Mobile network operators (MNOs) in the UK commenced their launch of 5G
deployed 5G services in selected locations in 2019. These initial 5G services have
services in 2019 predominantly targeted individual consumers of mobile broadband (MBB)
services. For these users, 5G radio means greater capacity for the services
they already use on smartphones and other mobile devices. 5G MBB
therefore offers faster mobile data connections for video downloads, live
streaming and gaming, offering a step change in quality of experience for
these services compared to slower, 4G-based MBB.
5G networks are The UK’s 5G networks are being progressively expanded by MNOs to address
being expanded a larger coverage footprint and in so doing, to address a wider market. This
to address a wider market is expected to include a diverse range of 5G users and uses,
diverse range of including business and enterprise customers, industrial companies, creative
users and uses industries, media, aviation and transport sector, utilities and many more.
Roll out is largely From published data on UK 5G network coverage it appears operators are
on the basis of following a largely population-led MBB capacity-driven approach to initial 5G
population roll-out, targeting locations with highest density of individual MBB consumers,
density equivalent to locations with the highest population density.
5G coverage in Using data available from the GSMA (GSMA 2021), we can estimate that the
the UK is above 5G coverage in the UK was c.30% of the population as of Q4 2020, placing it
the European slightly above average for European countries where 5G services have been
average launched (see Figure 4-1). Most of the coverage upon which the estimates
above are based are using 3.5GHz spectrum. However, in markets in Europe
where 3.5GHz spectrum is not yet available, there is 5G coverage being
provided using existing mobile bands, such as 2.1GHz, using technology
solutions to enable 4G/5G traffic sharing within the operators licensed
spectrum. Since this data was published, we note that Vodafone has
implemented this sharing solution in its 2.1GHz spectrum, to expand its ‘5G’
coverage in the UK.
Figure 4-1: 5G coverage in the UK and European countries, Q4 2020
100% 100%
90% 90%
Share of population across geotypes

80% 80%
5G Population coverage 70% 70%

60% 60%
50% 50%
40% 40%
30% 30%
20% 20%
10% 10%
0% 0%
Netherlands
Greece
Belgium
UK
Austria
France
Cyprus
Ireland
Luxembourg
Norway
EU27 + UK
Croatia
Switzerland
Italy
Romania
Sweden
Estonia
Latvia
Finland
Bulgaria
Slovakia
Malta
Slovenia
Portugal
Denmark
Lithuania
Germany
Spain
Poland
Hungary
Czechia
Rural Towns and suburbs Cities 5G population coverage
Notes: 5G population coverage in European countries (black diamond), overlaid onto the
share of the population across three geotypes: cities, towns and suburbs, and
rural. The chart does not indicate the split of 5G coverage across these geotypes.
Source: (GSMAi 2021), (Eurostat 2021), Analysys Mason.
To date, Like other 5G early-adopter countries, the UK’s 5G infrastructure deployed by

deployment of MNOs to date has been based on adding 5G radio to existing 4G
5G by MNOs has infrastructure (a deployment referred to as ‘non-standalone’). This approach
been ‘non- was adopted in recognition of factors including device availability, network
standalone’ equipment limitations, cost, and the need for rapid early deployment.
The In its 5G strategy published in 2017 6, the UK Government set out a clear
government’s ambition for the UK to be a global leader in 5G. To this end, the Government
test beds and is investing in a nationally coordinated programme of 5G testing, which is the
trials programme 5G Testbeds and Trials programme being coordinated by DCMS. The
is being used to Testbeds and Trials programme has at its core key goals to accelerate the
accelerate the availability of 5G infrastructure, and the use of 5G, thereby creating
roll out and use opportunities for UK businesses and drive productivity and efficiency benefits
of 5G for the UK economy through 5G deployment and use.
The Testbeds and Trials programme is testing 5G deployment via multiple
local deployments, typically based on stand-alone 5G radio and/or core
network infrastructure separate from wider commercial 4G/5G
implementations.
6
A 5G strategy for the UK, 2017 and Next Generation Mobile Technologies: An update to the 5G strategy
for the UK, December 2017
Several MNOs have also commenced 5G pilot projects (including projects

funded via DCMS’s Testbeds and Trials and the associated urban connected
communities/rural communities projects, as well as their own test facilities).
These various 5G pilots and test networks are aimed at widening the 5G
market to diversify use cases and to deliver connectivity to different consumer
groups, including industrial sites, enterprise services and automotive. Findings
from these testbeds and trials are discussed in standalone Appendix A.
4.2 Spectrum used in UK MNO 5G deployments

Spectrum for 5G The characteristics of 5G new radio are such that full capabilities of 5G
rollout has been technology are delivered when the technology is deployed in wider contiguous
harmonised at a blocks (because there is a trade-off between available bandwidth, and
European level reliability/latency performance of 5G radio, since different transmission paths
can be shaped for different services 7). In European markets, spectrum for 5G
is being made available in the three 5G pioneer spectrum bands that have
been harmonised for 5G use across Europe; the European harmonised bands
for 5G are referred to as the 700MHz band (703-788MHz), the 3.5GHz band
(3.4-3.8GHz) and the 26GHz band (24.25-27.5GHz).
Initial 5G network launch in the UK took place using spectrum in the 3.5GHz
band (from 3.4-3.6GHz), which was auctioned to MNOs in 2018. Additional
spectrum suitable for 5G use was auctioned by Ofcom in 2021. Final results of
Ofcom’s spectrum auction for the upper part of the 3.5GHz band (3.6-
3.8GHz), together with the 700MHz band were published in April 2021 8.
Assignments from the auction have subsequently been updated through a
trade of spectrum between Vodafone and Telefonica, with details confirmed by
Ofcom in July 2021 9. The trade of spectrum will require the respective
operators to carry out site upgrades and to share use of the two blocks until
end of 2025. Thereafter, the assignments of spectrum between UK MNOs in
the band between 3.4-3.8GHz (correct at the time of publishing this report) is
as shown in Figure 4-2 below.
The spectrum as shown below is available to individual MNOs on a nationwide
basis. All four MNOs have launched 5G services in their nationwide networks
in selected (mainly urban) UK locations using this spectrum, together with
other spectrum bands available to MNOs.
7
Ofcom considered the bandwidth needed for 5G services as part of its consultation on award of the
700MHz and 3.6GHz spectrum, here
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/195521/consultation-sut-modelling-700mhz-3.6-
3.8ghz-spectrum.pdf. Ofcom concluded that it is technically feasible for mobile network operators to support
‘a wide range of 5G services’ with a spectrum bandwidth of less than 80MHz, but with user experience (data
rates, reliability and latency) depending on the loading of the network.
8
Ofcom spectrum auction: final results announced - Ofcom
9
Mobile and wireless broadband - Ofcom
In March 2021, Ofcom concluded the first stage of its 3.6-3.8GHz and 700MHz
spectrum auction, confirming the amounts of spectrum awarded to each MNO.
Figure 4-2: UK 3.4-3.6GHz spectrum band plan, including March 2021 award (MHz)
Source: Ofcom, Analysys Mason.
In some other European markets, MNOs also have access to spectrum in the
26GHz band for 5G use. In the UK, the lower part of the 26GHz band is
reserved for private and shared access and is currently available on a shared
access basis, restricted to indoor use. Ofcom has not yet published a licensing
framework for 5G outdoor use of the 26GHz band.
The current state of 5G spectrum assignments, including recent awards of
700MHz and 3.6-3.8GHz bands are presented in Figure 4-3, although the
order of recent assignments is still to be determined.
Figure 4-3: Map of 5G pioneer spectrum bands in the UK following March 2021
spectrum awards (MHz)
Source: Ofcom, Analysys Mason.
4.3 Spectrum for private 5G deployment

MNOs’ slow Private 5G deployments are an alternative to using a public mobile network for
implementation 5G service delivery, suitable especially for businesses or industrial customers
of the latest who may wish to tailor coverage, capacity and/or services to their specific
functionalities needs. These private 5G deployments might be used by several of the 5G
into public consumer groups discussed in this report. There are multiple reasons why
networks might some industrial users or businesses might choose to deploy their own 5G
stimulate infrastructure rather than using a public mobile network, but a key reason
demand for would be to ensure that the 5G technology capabilities that specific companies
private 5G need are provided in the timescales those companies require. One reason for
networks this is that these bespoke 5G capabilities might not be available in public
mobile networks, as MNOs are unlikely to implement the most recent 5G
functionalities into public networks at scale until there is sufficient market
demand to do so.
Ofcom has taken If bespoke functionality of 5G is unavailable from public mobile networks
steps to support deployed by MNOs, or if users prefer to make use of a dedicated, on-site
the deployment network for their own business use, there is emerging evidence – such as
of private 5G from published articles and reports of trials 10 - of interest in deployment of
networks via private 5G networks to fill this gap. 5G private networks are now emerging in
shared access the UK and several other markets, tailored to delivering the specific use cases
spectrum and functionalities required by specific enterprises and industries. These
private networks might be used by firms whose central business is not
10
For example, https://www.lightreading.com/5g/vodafone-partners-with-ford-to-deploy-private-5g-network-
in-uk/d/d-id/761965
telecommunications, such as certain small and medium-sized enterprises

(SMEs) in the industrial sector. These firms might have a need for tailored 5G
coverage and/or capacity to meet specific business needs. Recognising that
some enterprise or industrial users of 5G might wish to deploy their private
networks in the shorter term, Ofcom has taken proactive steps in the UK to
encourage private 5G deployment by making spectrum available via a local
licensed, shared access, framework. Shared access licences are technology
neutral and can be used for local 5G network deployment. These private
networks can be deployed either by MNOs, or by third-parties.
Spectrum in two For private 5G networks, Ofcom has made available spectrum in two bands
bands has been supported by 3GPP specifications for 5G devices – firstly the lower 2.25GHz
made available of the 26GHz band has been reserved for private and shared access for
on a local basis indoor use across the UK, available for 5G use 11, and secondly the 3.8-
suited to private 4.2GHz band (a total of 400MHz) is available on a shared use nationally,
5G use where other existing users have not deployed 12. The availability of the 3.8-
4.2GHz band (adjacent to spectrum used by the public 5G networks, and
supported by 3GPP equipment) on a shared use basis is intended to enable
deployment of 5G infrastructure for prospective enterprise or industrial users 13.
The 3.8-4.2GHz band is part of the 3GPP ‘n77’ band (which spans 3.3-
4.2GHz) and hence devices supporting band n77 will be compatible with use
in the 3.8-4.2GHz band. Industrial users themselves, or their network delivery
partners (including MNOs) can apply to use Ofcom’s 3.8-4.2GHz spectrum for
deployment of dedicated networks and for MNOs, this might offer an easier
route to provide early industrial 5G services, until the public 5G networks have
capabilities for network slicing and quality of service (QoS) tailoring. It is noted
the spectrum assigned to MNOs in other 4G/5G frequency bands can also be
used for local deployments. Ofcom publishes details of the local licences it has
issued 14.
11
Ofcom manages and facilitates access to this spectrum on a per-location, ‘first-come, first-served’ basis,
allowing users to apply for a licence for as many indoor base and terminal stations needed to cover a
circular area with a maximum 50-metre radius. “By enabling access to the lower 26 GHz band, we are
adding to the spectrum options that would enable deployment of new 5G indoor applications, for example
for industrial users, with little to no impact on existing services and without prejudicing any future use of the
band outdoors.”
12
The 3.8-4.2GHz band is part of a spectrum band allocated for fixed satellite service (FSS) use
internationally, and was also used for fixed links in the UK. The limited deployments by existing incumbent
satellite and fixed users in the UK means that shared access is feasible, and available across most of the
country.
13
The spectrum is available across the country, though there are exclusion zones in certain areas for
satellite earth stations. There are two types of licence – a lower power licence (potential uses: industrial and
enterprise private networks and/or indoor mobile coverage extensions) and a medium power licence
(potential uses: industrial users with distributed sites, like ports, railyards, or large factories, and rural FWA).
Applications are currently open; Ofcom will assign local licences to people for coordinated access to this
band on a “per location, first come, first served” basis. Fees are payable, and if mobile terminals are
deployed licensees must keep an accurate record of the address they are limited to operate within.
14
Local Access licences (ofcom.org.uk)
Ofcom is making Ofcom has also introduced an approach whereby local users can apply to
it easier for local access spectrum that is already licensed to MNOs but not being used or
users to access planned for use within the next three years in a particular area 15 (Ofcom
spectrum that is 2019). Again, this is aimed at accelerating local infrastructure deployment and
not being used deployment of private 5G networks where MNOs are not using the spectrum
to provide services within their public networks.
Several other In Germany, the Federal Network Agency, Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA) has
European reserved spectrum available for private 5G deployment in the 3.7–3.8GHz
regulators have band. In March 2019, BNetzA published a framework for local 5G applications
also taken steps in this band; applications were opened in November 2019. The private
to enable private spectrum licences are awarded on a local basis and used for “innovative 5G
5G deployment local solutions” in the industrial or small business sectors. Subsequently, in
January 2020, BNetzA published the process for making the 26GHz band
available for 5G use in Germany. In Germany, spectrum from 24.25-27.5GHz
is being made available on a ‘first-come, first-served’ licensed basis intended
for localised usage. Spectrum is being licensed in multiples of 50MHz blocks,
and can be used for any form of 5G connectivity including to provide wireless
broadband (fixed wireless access), mobile broadband, and industrial / IoT
connectivity (Bundesnetzagentur 2021). The regulator in Finland has also
reserved spectrum in the 26GHz band for industrial 5G use.
In France, MNOs In France, the four nationwide MNOs agreed to make optional commitments to
must provide accelerate infrastructure roll-out, in exchange for 50MHz blocks of 3.4GHz
customised spectrum in the 2019 auction. One of these commitments was to commit to
solutions to “granting reasonable requests from economic actors (business, local
enterprises and authorities, administrations…) by providing them with customised solutions in
businesses or terms of coverage and performance or, if the operator prefers, by assigning its
assign their frequencies locally”. Additionally, applications for frequencies in the 2570-2620
frequencies MHz band were opened to metropolitan businesses by the regulator ARCEP
locally to a in May 2019 (ARCEP 2021). Applicants are granted spectrum through an
provider who can online portal which has been open for applications since May 2019 (European
5G Observatory 2020).
In the UK, a Speed of the licence application process is likely to be important to ensure that
faster application private 5G networks can meet immediate industrial needs. We understand that
process for a 5G Ofcom may look to explore the options of an online application process to
private network speed up the application process for shared access licences in the 3.8-
licence would 4.2GHz band.
help
15
Provided Ofcom and the incumbent licensee agree that the new user is unlikely to interfere with the
incumbent’s network or constrain their future plans, Ofcom will issue a short term (default of three years)
local access licence.
A June 2021 publication from the European Commission’s Radio Spectrum

Policy Group (RSPG) recommends that European regulators consider use of
Greater
the 3.8-4.2GHz band for ‘local vertical applications’, which will potentially
harmonisation
improve the supply market for equipment in this band if more European
across Europe
regulators pursue this option 16. In June 2021, the Norwegian regulator Nkom
on spectrum
proposed to open up the 3.8-4.2GHz band for local 5G networks, which will
bands for private
align with the spectrum already available in the UK. However, in markets such
networks may
as France and Germany, different bands are already being used for local 5G
improve the
deployment (2.6GHz in France, and 3.7GHz in Germany). The lack of a fully
economics of
harmonised private network solution is likely to have cost implications on 5G
private network
devices (e.g. modems, transmitters, sensors) and new proofs of concept. This
deployment
consideration would apply particularly to industrial use cases and firms
operating in different European geographies where tailored devices would be
required to support different spectrum bands.
4.4 Network architecture

5G networks can Industry reports such as the Global Mobile Trends report from GSMA
be delivered on Intelligence (2021) highlight the enterprise opportunity for 5G, for which there
standalone and are several deployment options. There are two main 5G architectures – non-
non-standalone standalone, and standalone – with several options in terms of how each of
architectures these can be deployed.
Standalone As indicated by the GSMA Intelligence report, the enterprise/business
networks are opportunity is predicated on the availability of 5G standalone (SA) networks,
important for which are able to offer lower-latency capabilities than earlier technologies or
realising the 5G when delivered via non-standalone infrastructure. This is because
enterprise standalone (SA) architecture is expected to unlock the more advanced
opportunity technical functionalities of 5G, such as the ability to tailor quality of service
through customised, end-to-end virtual network slices meeting different user
requirements such as low-latency, ultra-reliable use cases (see Figure 4-4).
Figure 4-4: Mobile traffic and usage evolution with 5G SA architectures
4G/LTE and LTE-A Initial 5G Full 5G

Devices
Similar devices to those used Collaborative robots,

User-friendly smartphones
in 4G/LTE and LTE-A automated machinery etc.
Email Apps Email Apps Email Apps

Types of usage
Web Video Web Video Web Video

browsing
Data intensity
browsing browsing streaming

Data intensity
streaming streaming
VoIP TV VoIP TV VoIP TV
Cloud Automa- Cloud Automa- Cloud Automa-

robotics tion robotics tion robotics tion
Real-time Real-time Real-time
AR/VR AR/VR AR/VR
video video video
limited support partially supported fully supported

16
RSPG21-024final_RSPG_Opinion_Additional_Spectrum_Needs.pdf (rspg-spectrum.eu)
Standalone From an infrastructure perspective, the evolution from a non-standalone (NSA)

networks operate 5G services to 5G SA involves migrating 5G networks to use 5G radio and
independently of core networks operated independently of 4G. The prospect of 5G core
4G and enable networks being cloud-native also helps with enabling enterprise or industrial
operators to offer users to deploy their own 5G private networks, as well as improving the
more bespoke flexibility in public networks to offer differentiated services to business or
solutions industrial users.
Several options 5G SA enterprise networks might be delivered using public mobile networks
exist for the and using the spectrum licensed to individual MNOs. Alternatively, private 5G
deployment of deployment might present a better opportunity for some enterprise or industrial
standalone users, utilising the 5G local licences in the 3.8-4.2GHz, and/or in the 26GHz
enterprise band (indoor use only), as described in the previous section.
networks
Due to the increasing implementation of software-defined network
architectures both 5G infrastructures and devices could be developed to
include incremental features as and when the demand arises. Developments
The majority of a by many leading vendors suggest the majority of a network will be software-
network may be driven and as such new functionalities should only require a software upgrade
software-driven (if the demand and business case are evident for MNOs and vendors).
but migrating and However, in the short term as virtualised solutions are starting to emerge, the
integrating complexity of migrating, and integrating, solutions is a key issue. It is noted
solutions will still DCMS is funding the SmartRAN Open Network Interoperability Centre
be complex (SONIC) and an Open RAN test bed to assist in ecosystem development for
interoperable solutions.
4.5 3GPP standards and releases

It takes time for 5G network capabilities (latency, service-specific network slicing, quality
new 3GPP- guarantees and support for different device types, amongst other
based requirements) depend on specific functionalities being implemented in the 5G
functionalities to core and radio networks, and for users to adopt the latest devices. While these
be integrated into network and device functionalities are standardised by the industry based on
networks and 3GPP releases 17, there is typically a material lag between new releases being
devices finalised by 3GPP and fully tested products being available and adopted, both
in MNO networks and in the devices available to consumers. The path from
release to deployment follows four key stages: standards approval (e.g. 3GPP
release 16 or 17); integration into vendor solutions; validation and commercial
availability and finally, deployment/adoption.
The integration The most advanced 5G use cases are reliant on the latest 5G standards and
of functionalities functionalities, which will become available in waves, depending on when
and the 3GPP specifications are completed and when such specifications are
availability of implemented in network equipment and devices. It is typically the case that
reliant use cases there is a time lag of between twelve and eighteen months between a
will likely be specification being studied in 3GPP and it being implemented by vendors (for
sporadic examples of the time for 3GPP studies to be completed into Release 16 and
17 features and for these specifications to be finalised and ready for
17
3GPP is a collection of standards organizations that develop standards for telecommunications
technologies. Standards are released in waves called “releases”, and each release will contain hundreds of
individual technical standards.
implementation by vendors, see Figure 4-5). Not all vendors will implement all
3GPP optional features and some features might not be implemented by any
vendor.
The UK MNOs have deployed their public mobile networks using the versions of
implementation 3GPP equipment that the MNO procured for network launch (likely to be
of future 3GPP 3GPP Release 15 and Release 16 at the time of producing this report). For 5G
features and features and functionalities standardised within future 3GPP releases (e.g.
functionalities will Rel17 and onwards 18), implementation into networks is dependent on demand.
depend on Not all functionalities of every 3GPP release are implemented at the same
demand and cost time or available in every market. Features may be present in vendors’ ‘base
build’, but it is up to the operator to implement it (and this might involve
additional costs). 19
Many new Full exploitation of new features and functionalities described within Rel17 and
features and beyond will rely on evolution of initial 5G networks to deployment of 5G SA
functionalities will infrastructure. This 5G SA infrastructure is important because in 5G SA, the
rely on the 5G core network is virtualised and not dependent on 4G networks. It is also
deployment of expected that 5G SA virtualised networks will use software implementation
standalone that is cloud-natively designed, such that enterprises or industrial users
networks already using cloud-based business processes might integrate 5G deployment
with these designs .
The pace of As MNOs are still planning the transition from NSA to SA architectures, MNOs’
transition to implementation of some 5G capabilities – which may be required for some of
standalone the more advanced 5G use cases – will be dependent on the speed at which
networks will this transition is completed, as well as on 5G SA device penetration. Hence,
dictate when some of the more advanced 5G applications that industrial or enterprise
more advanced customers might use to enable new and improved business processes might
5G applications not be immediately available via public networks.
become Figure 4-5: 5G capabilities included in 3GPP Release 16 and 17
available
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Release 16:
- Industrial IoT
- Automated driving
- Enhanced ultra-reliable and
low latency communication
- Integrated access & backhaul
- Improved 5G efficiency
(interference, power etc.)
Release 17 priorities:
- Unmanned aerial systems
- NR MIMO
- RAN slicing
- Multi SIM
- Enhanced industrial IoT
- Enhanced V2X services
- 5G wireless & wireline convergence
Source: 3GPP, Analysys Mason
18
3GPP has commenced discussions into what features might be included in Release 18, but a timeline for
developing Release 18 specifications is not yet available.
19
As noted by vendors in the DCMS stakeholder workshop
MNOs’ longer 5G SA deployments are occurring in the enterprise and private wireless space
transition to as described in the previous section, and these are being trialled extensively 20
standalone already. The 5G SA transition within public mobile networks is more complex
means a role for where and demands evolution of devices as well as network equipment and
private networks hence is expected to have a longer timescale. As such, private networks are
in the early likely to play a role in delivering some 5G features and enable some 5G
delivery of some consumer groups (e.g. enterprises, factories) to adopt 5G earlier in the 5G
5G features deployment cycle.
The prospects 5G specifications will continue to evolve beyond the currently planned
are for future 5G releases shown in the diagram above. At the time of producing this report, the
specifications to priorities for 3GPP Release 18 have not been finalised by 3GPP. Mobile
be more equipment vendors are also proposing to expand 5G from the three original
numerous and deployment scenarios – enhanced mobile broadband, massive machine-type
complex connectivity and ultra-reliable, low latency communications – to include three
additional deployments – uplink centric broadband communication, real-time
broadband communication and harmonised communication and sensing.
Some equipment vendors are also suggesting a further generation of mobile
connectivity – 6G – occurring sometime after 2030.
4.6 Readiness to deploy and adopt 5G in the UK

Cross-country While the roll-out of 5G in the UK and other countries is in its early stages,
studies provide a there are some cross-country studies that provide a comparative assessment
comparative of countries’ readiness to deploy and adopt 5G. These readiness reports often
assessment of evaluate readiness to adopt 5G between markets based on scoring different
countries’ factors, such as availability of infrastructure, 5G pilots and test-beds, spectrum
readiness to availability, policy framework and other such factors. The findings from these
deploy 5G studies are summarised in Table 4-1.
5G readiness in Comparing the UK to other international markets where digital adoption and
the UK is transformation is expected to be highest, i.e. countries within developed Asia
reasonably high Pacific, leading Western Europe economies (France, Germany, Switzerland
and the UK is a etc.) and the USA (with full details set out in standalone Appendix C):
leader in the
• The UK typically ranks highly on 5G readiness compared to other markets,
adoption of
but behind market leaders including the US, South Korea, China and
public cloud and
Japan.
AI
• The UK appears to sit amongst the leaders of benchmarked countries with
regards to public cloud adoption in firms.
• Similarly for AI, the UK was shown to be an earlier adopter within Europe.
• However, in terms of IoT and robotics and automation, evidence presented
places the UK behind leading digital economies.
• While some indicators around government-led efforts to spur automation
adoption are positive for the UK (i.e. ranking 8th globally in the Automation
20
Trial kits vary by operator – for example this solution from Ericsson was mentioned
https://www.ericsson.com/en/news/2020/6/ericsson-5g-sa-trial-kits-for-industry
Readiness Index), implementation of industrial automation and robotics is

lagging and has dropped below the international average.
Table 4-1: Third party studies on UK 5G adoption – 5G readiness
Study Sources of analysis Findings

Moving to a fibre- Comparative study – UK consumers are “relatively
enabled UK: categorising UK relative to advanced when it comes to demand
International France, Germany, Italy and for digital services”: for “demand for
experiences on Sweden bandwidth […] the UK came close
barriers to gigabit behind Sweden, a global leader in
adoption (WIK 2020) connectivity and digitisation”.
However, “the UK is behind Sweden
in the development and usage of
other applications which could
necessitate gigabit connectivity in
the home and for small businesses”
Europe 5G Comparative study – The UK placed sixth overall in
Readiness Index categorising UK relative to Europe in this 5G readiness index,
(inCites Consulting other markets in Europe. but with the highest score (5th) for
2019) Ranking was based on the infrastructure and technology. On
following criteria – selected other criteria, the UK was
infrastructure and ranked lower than European
technology, regulation and counterparts, such as innovation
policy, innovation landscape, and landscape, and human capital.
human capital, country
profile and demand
5G Market Progress Study ranking countries by The UK was sixth globally for 5G
Assessment (OMDIA available spectrum, service deployment – behind South Korea
2020) provider launches, network and Switzerland, as well as the
coverage, 5G take-up and USA, Kuwait, and Qatar.
ecosystem
Global race to 5G Study ranking countries by The UK was ranked 5th in this
update (Analysys available spectrum, industry report published in 2019, out of a
Mason for CTIA activity (trials, pilots, network total of 14 selected countries. The
2019) launches), availability of mid- top four countries were China, USA,
band spectrum, availability of South Korea and Japan.
high band spectrum, total
spectrum release and
Government 5G commitment
(strategies, funding, testbeds
etc.)
The Race to 5G Study ranking countries by The report identified eight countries
(Arthur D. Little 2019) infrastructure drivers (5G leading the “5G race” and four fast
spectrum availability, 5G roll- followers (the first being the UK) out
out commitments, fibre of 43 countries. “The UK [is] in a
coverage, 4G availability situation in which their regulator
etc.) and commercialisation recently auctioned spectrum and
drivers (5G trial intensity and operators jumped to acquire it. They
successes, fibre household are well advanced in terms of trials
and face competitive pressure to roll
penetration, household out their 5G networks but rank lower

income, 4G usage etc.) in some infrastructure dimensions.”
Source: As listed.
The willingness
In addition to the country studies, other survey-based studies provide insights
of UK firms to
on the attitude of UK businesses towards 5G and their willingness to invest in
invest in 5G is
5G. The results of these studies are summarised in Table 4-2.
not universal due
to some potential This shows industrial companies in the UK being positive towards taking up
barriers to 5G solutions, with a willingness to implement in the short term. However,
adoption whilst some evidence indicates a willingness of UK businesses to take up 5G
solutions, this finding is not universal. For example, some published studies
identify potentially significant barriers to 5G adoption in the UK, such as a lack
of willingness to pay, investment uncertainty and a lack of awareness and
understanding of 5G and its potential benefits (Barclays 2019).
Table 4-2: Third party studies on UK 5G adoption – UK industries
Study Sources of analysis Findings

5G in industrial Interviews – results broken • 75% of UK organisations are willing
operations down by country, sub to implement 5G for operations
(Capgemini 2019) sector or company revenue within two years of availability (23%
size. within one year of availability, and
52% between 1-2 years of
availability). This is on par with Italy,
and better than Spain, the USA,
Norway, France, Sweden, South
Korea and Germany.
• Of all industrial companies
surveyed, 66% of all automotive
companies were willing to
implement 5G for operations within
2 years (28% within one year, 38 in
1-2 years). Utilities was 69%
(26:43), Airport, port and railway
was 70% (10:60) etc.
• As revenue size increased so too
did share of companies planning to
implement 5G within 2 years of
availability.
GWS survey (GWS GWS polled both 2000 UK • Awareness of 5G is strong, even if
May 2020) adults and more than 200 it is in early days of deployment in
enterprise organisations the UK. More than half of the
ranging in size from 100 businesses polled reported that 5G
employees to more than is “already important to their
5000. organisation,” with another 27%
saying it will be so in the future. In
addition, 26% of businesses said
they wanted to see more 5G
offerings from their mobile network
operator.
Source: As listed.
4.7 Digital investment propensity assessment

Since 5G rollout is still being scaled up in the UK and other countries, there is
a lack of empirical evidence on the adoption of 5G across the different
consumer groups. For the purposes of further analysis and modelling, we
have investigated the uptake of other digital technologies by sectors within the
identified consumer groups, to provide a benchmark of how likely different
sectors/groups might be to adopt ‘new’ technology.
We have defined this analysis as a ‘digital investment propensity
assessment’, as a means of considering how likely different UK sectors are to
adopt 5G services based on wider digital technology adoption in those
sectors.
The assessment uses historical adoption of selected alternative advanced
technologies as an indicator of which consumer groups may have higher
willingness to take up 5G solutions. Whilst this digital investment propensity
assessment does not provide distinct 5G adoption targets or metrics for
consumer groups, it has assisted in gathering insight into the rate at which
consumer groups are likely to adopt 5G services in the early years, as well as
some indication of the consumer groups that are likely to be early adopters of
5G. The findings of this assessment have been used to rank digital investment
propensity across UK economic sectors which was further mapped onto our
consumer groups and used to calibrate modelled 5G adoption forecasts
covered in chapters 6 and 7.
The first piece of analysis looked to prioritise which sectors within the UK
economy spend and invest the most in digital technology. Secondly, this
prioritisation was cross-checked through analysis of historical adoption trends
for other advanced technologies by various industries (either globally or UK
specific) or for the UK as a whole. A supplementary input to this assessment
was consideration of the UK’s current position on digital and 5G adoption.
Summary of findings
Three consumer From our nine 5G consumer groups, we have identified three groups as
groups have high having the highest intensity of digital investment and intermediary
digital investment consumption (it is noted that investment intensity is not universal across all
propensity sectors in a consumer group but based on the evidence available, we have
assessed technology adoption at the consumer group level rather than
specifically for each sector within a consumer group):
• Media and entertainment
• Smart urban
• Public services
Rurally-located Additionally, high technology industries generally (e.g. IT industries) are high
firms in high-tech adopters of technology such as cloud). Most of these high-tech industries are
industries might located in areas of the UK that might be assumed to be within the population-
lag on adoption led coverage of nationwide MNO 5G roll-outs. However, these industries, if
operating in rural locations, might lag on adoption of 5G specifically due to
delayed coverage roll-out, patchy coverage or a lack of coverage.
Different sectors From the digital investment propensity assessment that we conducted as part
are adopting of this study, it is clear there is variation between the types of digital
different technology that different sectors are adopting:
technologies
• UK sectors within media and entertainment, smart urban and public
services consumer groups have a high-level of cloud service adoption
• Industries within the smart urban consumer group (e.g. financial
services and high tech industries) are identified as early adopters of AI
solutions. Emerging sectors indicating an interest in future AI spend or
have already made some investment in AI, include those within the
Transport, Manufacturing, Energy and utilities and Media and
entertainment consumer groups.
• Transport and manufacturing sectors have shown an appetite to adopt
IoT networks and are likely to benefit from the capabilities 5G-based
IoT will offer once this is available, e.g. high density capabilities and
real time IoT use cases (e.g. asset management, production lines,
delivery and logistics tracking, drones and surveillance). Other
emerging industries that have shown an appetite for IoT fall within the
smart urban sector
• The manufacturing and automotive industries are also likely to have
the highest propensity to adopt automation and robotics associated
technologies
• The retail and hospitality group generally lag on digital adoption
The UK is The assessment also considered the UK’s global position in terms of adoption
leading in some of digital technologies. The UK was founding to be leading in adoption of some
technologies and technologies but lagging for others:
lagging in others
• Evidence from Eurostat suggests that the UK compares well against
the wider EU market on cloud adoption (Figure C.3 and Figure C.4).
2018 metrics published by Eurostat (Eurostat 2020), show that at least
40% of enterprises in UK, Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium
and the Netherlands made use of cloud computing solutions. However,
on an EU-wide level this drops to 26% of enterprises, largely for email
hosting and file storage.
• North America is leading in real-world implementations of AI in
operation, with Europe and Asian companies also reporting strong AI
initiatives. It is reported that UK is leading within Europe when it comes
to AI adoption, where about a fifth (18%) of the UK companies have
stepped into the most advanced stage of AI maturity (Business Leader
2021).
• According to Vodafone’s IoT Barometer (Vodafone 2019), companies
in the Asia–Pacific region are advanced in their adoption of IoT, and
43% of companies are already using some form of IoT. Across Europe,
the Middle East and Africa, there has been a levelling out of IoT
adoption since 2015, falling behind the global average.
• A report conducted by IFR (IFR 2020) found that, in terms of robot
density by region, China, Japan, USA, South Korea and Germany
have been the top five markets for adoption since 2016. The UK
appears to be lagging significantly behind leading digital economies in
industrial robotics adoption and continues to drop below the
international average. In 2019, around 21,700 industrial robots were
operating in factories in the UK, an increase of 5% compared to 2018.
Although the UK´s operational robotics stock has increased, other
European countries like France, Italy and Germany have seen an
increase in robot stock in operation of 2-10 times.
The assessment provided limited evidence on propensity for rural industries to

adopt digital technologies. We also excluded the high-speed broadband in
homes and offices consumer group from our digital investment propensity
assessment, on the basis that high-speed broadband is the basis of early 5G
deployment by MNOs, for which adoption can be tracked in the same way as
for previous generations of mobile use (i.e. based on growth in number of 5G
connections, 5G subscribers or similar).
Table 4-3: Digital investment propensity assessment summary
Consumer Cloud Automation IoT AI

group and robotics
Media and
entertainment
Public services
Energy and
utilities
Rural
industries
Smart urban**
Transport *
Manufacturing,
logistics and
distribution
High-speed
broadband into
homes and
offices
Retail and
hospitality
* for the automotive industry specifically
** for high tech industries and smart cities specifically
Early Emerging Lagging Limited evidence Limited evidence Excluded from
adopter adopter adopter of adoption overall digital readiness
assessment
From this analysis we have concluded there is evidence that sectors within
most 5G consumer groups are early adopters of digital technologies. From
this, we mapped potentially early, emerging and lagging adopters of 5G
services in the UK based on their adoption of digital services (see Figure 4-).
Figure 4-6: Timeline of 5G adoption by consumer groups in the UK
Limited coverage in ‘digital readiness

assessment’, however, likely initial
adopter of 5G due eMBB supported use
cases (validated by stakeholders)
Energy and utilities
Manufacturing,
Broadband into distribution and Retail and hospitality
homes and transport
offices
Public services
Media and
entertainment Transport Rural industries
Smart Urban
Expected timeline of 5G adoption
Early adopters Emerging adopters Lagging adopters

Driven by eMBB supported Driven initially by use of 5G Referenced to lag in terms of
use cases, (e.g. FWA and for IoT use cases as well as advanced technology
MBB for homes and offices, automation/ robotics adoption or affected by
AR/VR) and further enabled thereafter supply-side barriers such as
through edge-cloud coverage
capabilities
Source: Literature review, Analysys Mason.
We subsequently used this map of relative timeline of adoption per consumer

group to calibrate 5G adoption forecasts and scenarios forming an input to the
benefits modelling (how the 5G adoption forecasts have been defined is
further outlined in chapter 6).
5 Barriers to adoption and their impact
This section describes and discusses the key barriers that might affect 5G
adoption in the UK, and also how we might reflect the impact of these barriers
within the adoption forecasts developed from the study.
5.1 Approach
To identify the barriers to 5G adoption and assess their impact, we conducted
a detailed review of the literature and our own analysis. This was supported by
discussions with the DCMS team and 5G stakeholders. We began by
consulting the literature on 5G adoption and barriers in a range of countries
and for a wide range of consumer groups. The findings from this review were
used to identify a high-level typology of the barriers to 5G adoption. Using
these initial categories of barriers, we developed specific questions on what
the key barriers to adopting 5G might be in the UK market. These were used
to gather feedback from stakeholders through interviews and an industry
workshop. In discussion with DCMS, questions on UK-specific barriers were
split into demand-side, and supply-side, barriers. The responses on barriers
were summarised and, along with further analysis, the barriers to 5G adoption
in different consumer groups was further refined and developed to reflect the
most relevant to consumer groups in the UK.
5.2 Overview of the barriers to 5G adoption

While the focus of this study is on 5G demand, both supply-side and demand-
side barriers were reviewed to build an overall picture of the barriers to
adoption. Supply-side barriers were found to fall into three categories:
business case/value concerns; practical deployment barriers; and spectrum-
related barriers. Likewise, demand-side barriers were grouped into three
categories: business case/value concerns; feasibility; and (technical) criticality.
To analyse the relevance of each demand-side barrier to the consumer
groups, we further divided these barriers into macro barriers and micro
barriers, using the below definitions:
• ‘macro barriers’ were defined as cross-market barriers that cut across
multiple areas / consumer groups and 5G applications across most of the
5G market.
• ‘micro barriers’ were defined as barriers that apply more to some
consumer groups / 5G applications than others, but can be grouped into
distinct general categories, e.g. device availability.
An overview of the barriers resulting from our analysis is provided below in
Figure 5-1 and Figure 5-2. Section 5.3 provides a discussion of the barriers,
Section 5.4 discusses the impact of the demand-side barriers on each
consumer groups, while detailed summaries of the evidence behind each
barrier is provided in Section 5.5 and Section 5.6.
Figure 5-1: Supply-side barriers
Supply-side barriers
Business case / value Practical deployment

Spectrum
concerns barriers
• 5G commercialisation • radio deployment and • cost of spectrum/annual

prioritises B2C initially / regulatory issues licence fees
proven use cases • integrating with existing • lack of availability of full
• features available in network and systems 5G spectrum portfolio
3GPP releases not fully • migration to virtualised • other spectrum related
implemented in stand-alone 5G core barriers
vendor/operator networks networks
• barriers within the value • geographic coverage is
chain required for some use
cases
• access to and
availability of backhaul
Figure 5-2: Demand-side barriers
Demand-side barriers
Business case / value

Feasibility (Technical) criticality
concerns
Macro barriers: Micro barriers: Macro barriers:

• willingness to pay • ecosystem not ready/ • lack of evidence of 5G’s
fully available suitability / use cases
Micro barriers: • complexities of
• lack of business case / integrating new 5G Micro barriers:
understanding of ROI solutions with existing • existing technologies
• concern over upfront technology and systems (e.g. fibre/4G/Wi-Fi) are
(capital) costs • cultural resistance to seen as sufficient
• lack of understanding of change • lack of understanding of
total cost of ownership • security and data 5G and the benefits
(TCO) / concern over privacy concerns using 5G offers
ongoing costs/ monthly
data costs
5.3 Barriers to 5G adoption in the UK

This section presents a discussion of the demand-side and supply-side
barriers, drawing on the findings from the literature review and other evidence
presented to us during the study.
Supply-side barriers
Absence of a A key type of supply-side barrier is concerns over the business case for
clear business investment, resulting in a lack of further investment in 5G coverage from public
case by MNOs to mobile networks, and a lack of a full range of 5G functionalities in public
invest at scale mobile networks to enable specific use case deployment requiring the latest
limits coverage 3GPP functionality. MNOs and vendors need a clear business case to
and available underpin further investment in 5G public mobile networks (both coverage and
functionalities full functionality features of 5G). In some cases, demand needs to be
demonstrated at scale across the UK, from different regional or local users –
e.g. for transport systems, for operators to invest in fully interoperable and
scalable solutions.
The business How MNOs might develop additional revenue from deploying 5G for consumer
case for use is currently not clear. Whilst new revenue streams could be generated
investment is from offering advanced use cases to other consumer groups, the business
undermined by a case for this additional investment is unclear, as identified above. Trends in
‘chicken and egg’ 4G adoption suggest that whilst data consumption by individual consumers
problem using smartphones and other connected devices has grown considerably (and
continues to rise), average revenue per user (ARPU) from individual
consumers is either flat or declining in many markets. Whilst 5G roll-out will
require significant investment by MNOs, demand from new consumer groups
(e.g. industrial or enterprise) is still emerging. It is these new consumer groups
that might demonstrate greatest demand for advanced 5G use cases such as
automation, 5G-based robotics and advanced, 5G-based IoT, but this would
only emerge once users are confident that 5G solutions meet their specific
requirements. Demonstrating that solutions meet requirements for industrial
and enterprise users is complex because individual organisations might
require bespoke functionalities relevant to their specific applications and
locations, and/or will have specific coverage and capacity requirements for
their solutions, which might not match the population-drive infrastructure
rollout that MNOs have planned for 5G consumer use. This ‘chicken and egg’
problem of 5G use cases i.e. the need to build infrastructure supporting
unknown use cases and/or uncertain assumptions on how users might use 5G
technologies in future, presents a key risk both for MNOs, and for potential 5G
users. A major consequence of this ‘chicken and egg’ problem is that relatively
few large business users might be willing to invest in 5G solutions if this
investment is ‘at risk’ (i.e. ahead of assurance that 5G will meet specific
locational/application needs). This may require the MNOs to take on more of
this investment risk. Conversely, the MNOs might find it hard to justify this
investment until it is clearer how new 5G use cases will manifest (i.e. in which
areas, as well as other specific connectivity needs). It is possible that this
issue might be overcome over time as consumer 5G use migrates from
current NSA devices to using 5G SA devices. Once SA devices are adopted
over time by consumers, this might drive adoption of 5G SA features more
generally (e.g. by enterprise and industrial users). Over time, this 5G SA
adoption would therefore incentivise MNOs to invest in more widespread
implementation. An alternative way for MNOs to encourage enterprise and

industrial adoption of 5G would be to subsidise the 5G consumption (e.g.
outcome-based type contracts).
There is some There is some scepticism amongst some potential 5G users over the pace at
doubt about the which MNOs will invest in extending the capabilities of public mobile networks.
pace of MNOs As such, MNOs need to be positioned as active enablers of the most
5G roll-out advanced 5G services, moving beyond the early and most feasible business
cases of 5G services offered to existing subscribers. As mentioned previously,
the market is yet to become familiar with offering the sorts of differentiated
enterprise and vertically-focused solutions that fully functional 5G (including
virtualised standalone core networks and network slicing) envisages.
5G private Given a general uncertainty over timescales for further evolution of public
networks may be mobile networks towards full enabled 5G features (i.e. including 5G-based
the best option machine-type connections and ultra-reliable, low latency communications as
for early per the original 5G vision), some potential 5G users (and indeed MNOs) might
industrial feel that 5G private networks may be better placed to serve earlier adopter
adopters industrial and enterprise users. The specific connectivity needs of those
customers would be a key reason for using private deployments given that in
current non-standalone 5G public network deployments, there will be
challenges in offering differentiated connectivity with different characteristics in
some areas of the network compared to others due to the risk of interference.
Therefore, utilising shared access spectrum in the 3.8-4.2GHz band rather
than using the MNO’s nationally available spectrum portfolio enables MNOs or
other providers to provide specific connectivity such as uplink-oriented
capacity where needed.
There are A number of practical barriers to mobile deployment are widely discussed in
various practical published reports, and well known to DCMS through work contributing to the
deployment digital connectivity portal 21. Several studies present evidence for practical
barriers on the deployment barriers such as relating to site acquisition, backhaul, power and
supply-side other infrastructure availability, and fibre reach (Infosys 2019; Analysys Mason
2018; OECD 2019; Nokia 2020).
Spectrum Timely deployment of 5G depends on suitable spectrum being available for
concerns, such the different types of potential network/user. In the UK, commercial nationwide
as availability 5G networks providing 5G services to consumers are using the 3.4-3.8GHz
and cost, are spectrum available to MNOs together with other spectrum bands that MNOs
also barriers to have been licensed to use. Private or local 5G deployments in the UK are
supply being enabled through Ofcom’s shared access spectrum available in the 3.8-
4.2GHz band. During course of this project Ofcom awarded 700MHz and 3.6-
3.8GHz spectrum to UK MNOs in March 2021. Both of these bands are suited
to 5G use. As such we do not expect spectrum availability for nationwide 5G
network deployment by MNOs to be a significant barrier to 5G adoption in the
UK. Ofcom’s shared access licences also allow for private 5G network
deployment, on a local basis.
21
Digital Connectivity Portal - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Different There are different approaches to 5G private/local licensing across different

spectrum bands markets in Europe. Lack of a common spectrum band for private 5G
for private deployment might represent a potential barrier to achieving economies of
networks hinders scale for private 5G deployment. Globally, there are also varying approaches
economies of on private 5G deployment, meaning that a large industrial company operating
scale either in multiple European markets or globally might face challenges to
procure a 5G private network solution compatible with the spectrum and
technological conditions applicable to each of its markets. The issues of
device availability, cost and demand prioritisation by suppliers may propagate
into the UK 5G market as scale is achieved in other leading regions.
Demand-side barriers
Concerns over As with the supply-side, concerns over the business case for investing in 5G is
business a barrier on the demand-side. This demonstrates the ‘chicken and egg’
case/value is a problem described above under the supply-side barriers heading – both the
key demand-side supply-side and the demand-side need each other to demonstrate the
barrier for business case for 5G adoption. Individual and business willingness to pay for
individuals and 5G services could represent a key barrier affecting 5G demand across all
businesses consumer groups. Other barriers related to the business case/value of 5G
investment might include: lack of business case/understanding of ROI;
concern over upfront capital costs; and lack of visibility of total cost of
ownership (TCO) / concern over ongoing/monthly costs.
An On the demand-side, the feasibility of 5G adoption depends on, amongst other
underdeveloped factors, the readiness of the ecosystem. Over and above network supply,
5G ecosystem demand would need to be supported by an entire 5G ecosystem of embedded
and complexity devices, software, chipsets and modems. Due to the current lack of scale of
with integration demand, consumers implementing 5G technology may be faced with a high
with legacy cost of equipment, exacerbated by the need for more tailored devices and
technologies solutions to meet their standards and spectrum requirements, escalating costs
hinder the and extending lead time to device production. Another feasibility barrier to
feasibility of 5G adoption is the complexity of integrating new 5G solutions with existing
adoption technology and systems. It is noted that the difficulties here lie with
implementation of a bridge supporting legacy technologies rather than with the
new technologies themselves.
Security As cited in several studies, security and data privacy concerns might represent
concerns also a barrier to 5G adoption by some consumer groups, and may also hold back
hinder the the feasibility of users adopting 5G whilst security and/or data privacy issues
feasibility of 5G are resolved, compatible with different industrial security requirements.
adoption Multiple surveys we reviewed found concerns around data security to be a
major barrier to 5G demand (Digital Catapult 2019; Ericsson 2018; Infosys
2019; GSMA 2020b, Nokia 2020), with moving data to the cloud a particular
concern. Some users prefer that the data which is generated on their site does
not leave their site, hence the ability to have local processing on their site is
very important.
Many users do Another type of barrier relates to the extent to which potential adopters of 5G
not view 5G as view the technology as critical for meeting their future needs (or whether
critical for their existing solutions might be sufficient). Some studies we reviewed pointed to a
needs lack of evidence of 5G’s suitability as holding back demand. This was
supported by responses from stakeholders, which indicated a reluctance by
some potential users to adopt 5G until they had seen it demonstrated and
proven elsewhere; or that they were not convinced that 5G was essential for
their needs. This points to a need for a diverse range of use cases to be
showcased over 5G infrastructure in order to demonstrate the benefits in
specific environments. Similarly, a lack of technical understanding of 5G might
prevent some users from implementing solutions. This lack of evidence and
understanding of 5G’s applications and implementation requirements may be
the reason many consumers see existing technologies (e.g. fibre/4G/Wi-Fi) as
sufficient to meet their needs.
Testbeds and Access to the 5G Testbeds and Trials (5GTT) programme is expected to be of
trials play an significant importance to larger and smaller businesses, and public sector
important role in users, looking to understand the full capabilities benefits of 5G to meet their
demonstrating specific needs and environment. Testbeds and trials are generally less
the value of 5G relevant for validating individual consumer use of 5G (i.e. mobile broadband),
to users since this use case exists in the UK 5G networks already. This might be one
reason why MNOs have not been active partners in initial 5G Testbed and
Trials projects, although it is noted that MNOs are now increasingly involved.
There appears to be demand from businesses for increased diffusion of
findings from relevant 5G trials and testbed projects so that users not involved
in the projects can still benefit from the findings. As such, inviting industry
players to witness the benefits of relevant 5G projects within the testbeds and
trials programme may be useful, along with publicising the outcomes.
The outcomes of For progression of the 5GTT in the UK, it would be helpful if outcomes of the
UK 5G test bed programme are published including details of solutions used, breakdown on
and trials need to upfront costs, and benefits delivered by the trial or use case (e.g. improvement
be expressed in ROI, productivity, etc.). As the 5G market evolves it is anticipated the 5GTT
more clearly projects should go beyond the proof of concept (PoC) stage, towards
demonstrating benefits in real world environments. An increased focus on key
sectors might also be beneficial.
5.4 Relevance of demand-side barriers within different consumer

groups in the UK
Based on our analysis we consider that demand-side barriers can be split into
two types:
- ‘macro barriers’: cross-market barriers that cut across multiple areas /
consumer groups and 5G applications across most of the 5G market. The
most relevant macro barriers identified through the study are:
o willingness of individuals and businesses to pay for 5G services
o lack of evidence of 5G’s suitability for the specific use case
connectivity requirements, together with uncertainty over timing of
investment into full functionality 5G needed to enable specific use
cases and features to be adopted at scale across the UK
- ‘micro barriers’: micro barriers apply more to some consumer groups / 5G
applications than others, but can be grouped into distinct general
categories, e.g. device availability.
o Barriers specific to different consumer groups are outlined in Table

5.1, which presents our view of what micro demand-side barriers
are likely to affect each consumer group
o these consumer-group specific barriers may affect the timing

and/or rate of adoption for the sectors within that consumer group.
It is noted that we have assessed barriers at the consumer group level, which
ignores that in practice, individual sectors within consumer groups might take
up 5G solutions at difference paces. In this study we found there to be
insufficient evidence to define the impact of barriers at the sector-specific
level.
The key micro barriers affecting most consumer groups were found to be a
lack of understanding of 5G and the benefits of using 5G, the ecosystem not
being ready / fully available and lack of business case / understanding of ROI
(outlined in red in Table 5.1). The output of our analysis is shown below. It
should be noted there is significant uncertainty surrounding the key areas of
concern over 5G adoption within different consumer groups, and sectors
within those consumer groups. Hence the table below represents our best
view on the key barriers that might exist per consumer group, at the time of
producing this report.
Table 5-1: Micro barriers per consumer group
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Media and Entertainment
High-speed broadband
Manufacturing logistics
into homes and offices

Retail and Hospitality
Energy and Utilities
Rural industries
and distribution
Public services
Smart urban
Transport
Lack of understanding of 5G
and the benefits using 5G
offers
Existing technologies (e.g.

fibre/4G/Wi-Fi) are seen as
sufficient
Ecosystem not ready / fully

available
Complexities of integrating with

existing technology and
systems
Cultural resistance to change
Security concerns / moving

data to the cloud
Lack of business case /

understanding of return on
investment (ROI)
Concern over upfront (capital)

costs
Lack of understanding of total

cost of ownership (TCO) /
concern over ongoing
costs/monthly data costs
Source: Analysys Mason, Literature review.
Further supporting evidence on the supply-side and demand-side barriers

described above and how these might impact 5G adoption in the UK, based
on the evidence captured in this study, is summarised below.
5.5 Supply-side barriers – supporting evidence

Radio In a report for the broadband stakeholder group, Analysys Mason (2018)
deployment identified planning regulations as a specific legislation barrier:
technical and
regulatory issues • “There is a lack of consistency in how local authorities apply planning
rules and regulations vary across the devolved nations. […] The
uncertainty this creates is hampering operators from gaining access to
new sites and upgrading existing ones.”
• “Fragmented application of planning regulations for mobile equipment,
and a lack of best-practice guidance, introduces additional costs for
both local authorities and network providers and is limiting the ability of
network providers to plan an efficient deployment of 5G.”
Previous published surveys also indicate several supply-side challenges. For

example, 441% of respondents identified ‘entirely new 5G radio deployment’
as a deployment challenge, 32% of respondents identified ‘integration with
existing network and systems’, and 52% identified ‘government regulations’ as
an adoption barrier to 5G (this was the second most common barrier
identified) (Infosys 2019).
The European Commission published a recommendation in 2020 about “a
common Union toolbox” for 5G. It highlighted issues with regulatory
procedures and stated that “Member states should […] make improvements in
the following areas (i) streamlining permit granting procedures […] (ii)
increasing transparency […] (iii) expanding the right to access existing
physical infrastructure controlled by public sector bodies and (iv) improving the
dispute resolution mechanism” (European Commision 2020b).
“The introduction of 5G presents incumbent operators with new business
opportunities and new business models. It also constrains current forms of
competition, while opening up new ones. Hence, regulators and competition
authorities will need to appreciate the new rules of the game and will have to
be vigilant to assure competition is promoted and investment stimulated. This
applies at the Member State level, as well as the EU level” (Cerre 2019).
In 2019 OECD published a report on “The Road to 5G Networks”. This

highlighted that “new regulatory issues arise with 5G, and one main concern
for stakeholders relates to power density regulation (or electromagnetic limits
in a given location)”. The report stated that “key regulatory issues will include:
streamlining rights of way (to deploy massive numbers of small cells and
backhaul connecting the cells), efficient spectrum management, deployment
and access to backhaul and backbone facilities, and new forms of
infrastructure sharing. … 5G will make new demands on all stakeholders in
areas such as rights of way, particularly in terms of the location and backhaul
to support smaller cells (OECD 2019).
Integrating with 43% of respondents identified ‘integration with existing network and systems’
existing network as a deployment challenge (Infosys 2019). 38% of supply (telecoms and
and systems media) respondents said that ‘integrating with existing network and systems’
was a deployment challenge (Infosys 2019).
Migration to 38% of respondents identified ‘virtualised 5G core deployment’ as a

virtualised stand- deployment challenge (Analysys Mason 2018).
alone 5G core
networks “The current biggest barrier to roll-out is undoubtedly economic, with the
business case being balanced against the risks of investing […] more
infrastructure needs to be deployed (antennae, base stations and small cells –
as well as the fibre-optic cables to connect these). This all costs significant
levels of capital… the overarching barrier to the UK being a 5G leader is one
of investment uncertainty” (Analysys Mason 2018).
“5G will accommodate a large variety of scenarios in terms of usage;

therefore, the network architecture will have to be flexible to meet this
demand. One way to introduce this flexibility is through network slicing in order
to improve efficiency” (OECD 2019).
Geographic “The biggest barrier to adoption is coverage, with 54% of those who are not
coverage is currently planning for it saying they’re waiting for 5G to be available in more
required for places. It’s a particular barrier for larger, multisite and multinational
some use cases businesses, which would prefer to be able to implement 5G services
everywhere rather than have some locations running ahead of others” (Nokia
2020)
Even in areas where 5G is available, 10% of consumers cite “coverage area
too limited” as a barrier to use (Nokia 2020b). 18% of UK enterprises pointed
to lack of coverage as a stumbling block Nokia 2020c).
Access to and “An increase in network densification raises the question of having sufficient
availability of backhaul capable of meeting the requirements of 5G […] access to backhaul
backhaul and investment in NGA networks [is a] key enabler of 5G […] [small] cells will
need to be connected to backhaul, underlining the need for increased
investment in next generation network deployment” (OECD 2019).
5G commerciali- (Deloitte China 2018b) highlighted that “centred round industry application
sation prioritises scenarios, 5G network deployment will be driven by applications. In the short
B2C initially / and medium term, 5G will be implemented firstly in the application scenarios
proven use of enhancing mobile broadband”. Elaborating that “due to high investment and
cases incomplete standards in relation to 5G deployment, it is expected that telecom
operators will adopt longer-term and more flexible deployment based on the
needs of application scenarios. Application scenarios of enhancing mobile
broadband will be implemented firstly in regions of high user density.
Correspondingly, downstream application scenarios with mature technology
and high economic value would be given priority in the implementation of 5G
network. More technical barriers will be broken down over time, and economic
value brought by 5G-based downstream applications will be increasingly
emerging in more scenarios”.
A Mobilise Global (2019, Mobilise Global 2019) whitepaper states “it is
becoming clear that enterprises are not convinced that telecom operators can
meet their needs, and as a result, are building out their own private networks”,
explaining that “in the 5G era, that operator platforms will need to support
massive IoT, network slices using virtualised network functions, and common
enablers and APIs. To fully address these business-oriented opportunities,
operators will need to focus on business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-
business-to-consumer (B2B2C) business models”. The same paper also cited
“a recent GSMA paper” where “they put forward the argument that “enhanced
mobile broadband (eMBB) will be the key proposition in early 5G deployments
and will drive increased performance, functionality and efficiency across
society. This is the clearest, potential 5G use case and will support the
delivery of high definition video (e.g. TV and gaming), immersive
communication (e.g. video calling and augmented & virtual reality) and smart
city services (e.g. video cameras for surveillance).””
Features “The standard setting process is [not] completed. In fact, the industry is now
available in working on Release 16, where new 5G technologies will expand the
3GPP releases ecosystem. Commercial launches from 2021-22 are expected to be based on
not fully Release 16, which will focus on IoT usage scenarios (i.e. massive machine
implemented in type communications and ultra-reliable low-latency communications). More
vendor/operator specifically, Release 16 of the standard, expected to be finalised in June 2019,
networks is focusing on a variety of topics, such as Vehicle-to-everything (V2X)
applications, 5G satellite access, Local Area Network support in 5G, wireless
and wireline convergence for 5G, network slicing and the IoT, among others”
(OECD 2019).
76% of Ericsson (2018) respondents identified ‘lack of standards’ as a key

barrier to 5G adoption in 2017 – the second most common barrier that year.
“There is some ambiguity in the term 5G, which may be part of the reason why
businesses are holding off on investment. In fact there are no internationally
agreed specifications or definition for a 5G network yet” (Barclays 2019).
Barriers within In 2016 Cisco published a white paper looking into the “vertical value creation
the value chain of 5G”. It found that “with operator value continuing to shift away from basic
connectivity services, the 5G mobile architecture needs to enable operators to
use their networking assets to quickly and efficiently support new value-added
services”. Explaining that “conventional cellular networks have looked to
interface with third parties, exposing a limited set of core network capabilities
and often using proprietary interfaces. But 5G requirements include the ability
to accelerate integration of 5G connectivity services into a wide range of
vertical systems” (CISCO 2016).
A Deloitte (Deloitte 2018b) report states “in the age of 5G, the role of telecom
operators would be extended from providing 5G infrastructure and connection
services to participating in the development of 5G-enabled downstream
application scenarios and driving 5G investment with the maturity of
downstream applications, thereby building a closed business loop”. The report
identifies “co-development of vertical industry platforms: e.g. co-development
of platforms related to IoV, smart healthcare and smart factories, etc. with
other partners in the ecosystem” as part of the “evolution of the business
model of telecom operators”.
(Mobilise Global 2019) said “we expect the initial target segments will be the
consumer market and ‘horizontal’ enterprise services (e.g. laptop
connectivity). Whilst there is the potential to offer new services to industrial
verticals - such as autonomous vehicles for the automotive sector, this is
some way in the future and in fact might never materialise due to the
significant infrastructure investment required. However we may see new
innovations such as UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles, drones), developing into
a potential new segment/ application category.”
Cost of “While 5G, like 4G, is not proving to be the cash bonanza that was 3G, the
spectrum/ annual sums already spent are high. The spend created at auctions per MHz/pop is
licence fees improbably uneven relative to likely demand or requirements; it is to a large
extent a function of the way the auctions are set up. So for example there is
insufficient difference on the demand side to explain why 3.5GHz spectrum in
Italy commanded a value some seven times higher than in Finland.” (ETNO
2021).
“Member States should be encouraged to identify spectrum authorisation rules
that aim to apply a pro-investment spectrum pricing methodology […] avoid
spectrum scarcity that leads to higher bids in spectrum auctions” (European
Commision 2020b).
Lack of Lack of availability of the full 5G spectrum portfolio (i.e. 700MHz, 3.6GHz and
availability of full 26GHz spectrum bands) might be a supply-side barrier in markets where
5G spectrum these bands have not been made available. However, as of March 2021 (after
portfolio receiving stakeholder input) Ofcom awarded available 700MHz and 3.6-
3.8GHz spectrum to UK MNOs. Additionally, if the 26GHz band becomes
available in the next 12 months for mobile use in outdoor environments (e.g.
by MNOs), we would expect the relevance and significance of this supply
barrier to be low. There are some 5G use cases that rely on reliable uplink
capacity (e.g. immersive media experiences, industrial use cases such as
remote piloting of equipment),. This uplink capacity requirement might vary at
a local level, which is currently difficult to deploy using nationally planned
eMBB networks since variations in uplink and downlink dimensioning would

give rise to additional interference issues. Spectrum such as the 26GHz band
might provide the MNOs with additional options to provision capacity in
different ways at a localised level.
“Roll-out of 5G in Europe has been patchy, and 5G still represents a low
single-digit percentage of total connections in all countries. One factor that
holds back the market is slow and patchy releases of spectrum, which often
creates an artificially high cost of spectrum” (ETNO 2021).
Analysys Mason (2018) identified access to spectrum as a specific legislation
barrier: “Insufficient spectrum and barriers to accessing spectrum, particularly
for local providers and for indoor systems may inhibit wider deployment of 5G”
“The European Electronic Communications Code sets a common deadline of
the end of 2020 for the Member States to allow use of the 3.4-3.8 GHz band
and at least 1GHz of the 24.25-27.5GHz pioneer frequency band for 5G. In
addition, Decision (EU) 2017/8999 sets a common deadline of 30 June 2020
for the Member States to allow use of the 700 MHz pioneer frequency band for
5G. […] Member States should avoid or minimise any delays in allowing use
of 5G pioneer frequency bands due to the COVID-19 crisis” (European
Commision 2020b).
“Spectrum is the primary essential input for wireless communications, and
therefore, its timely availability is of critical importance for 5G” (OECD 2019).
5.6 Demand-side barriers – supporting evidence

Macro barriers – supporting evidence
Lack of evidence The evidence we have captured supporting a need for additional guidance to
of 5G’s suitability be available on 5G use (i.e. ‘lack of evidence of 5G’s suitability’ as a barrier) is
/ use cases as follows.
In 2019 Digital Catapult interviewed more than 40 UK manufacturing
executives, moderated three round-table discussions and carried out an
industry survey. Survey respondents’ companies were located all across the
UK (ranging from 5% in Wales to 20% in London) and varied in size from 1-50
employees (38% of respondents) to more than 2500 employees (31% of
respondents). The study found that “5G is nascent, however, making
examples of proven ROI in deployments scarce” (Digital Catapult 2019).
During 2016 and 2017, (Ericsson 2018) conducted a survey of companies with
at least 1000 employees across ten industries 22 worldwide, interviewing
approximately 100 executives per industry. The fourth most common key
barrier in Ericsson’s 2017 survey was ‘too soon to know what the real benefits
will be’ which was selected as a key barrier to adoption of 5G by 62% of
respondents, up from 50% in 2016. Additionally, in 2016, 51% of respondents
identified ‘lack of applications’ and 56% identified ‘lack of use cases’ as key
22
Automotive, retail, media and entertainment, manufacturing, energy and utilities, agriculture, public
transport, financial services, healthcare and public safety.
barriers to 5G adoption. By 2017 those numbers had dropped slightly to 41%

and 47% respectively.
(Infosys 2019) conducted a research survey in 2019 of 850 industry leaders
from firms with more than USD1 billion revenues across six broad industry
categories 23. The respondents were primarily US-based (49%) but 13%
respondents were UK-based. 42% of respondents chose ‘no compelling use
case’ as an adoption barrier to 5G.
(Nokia 2020) surveyed 1000 IT decision-makers in the US and the UK from
small, medium and large organisations across seven sectors 24. They found
that “decision-makers become enthused about 5G when they see specific
contexts in which it can be used, suggesting that concrete examples and case
studies will help to speed adoption.”
Willingness to GigaTag’s Interim Report (GigaTAG 2020)found that “consumers may be

pay unwilling to pay much more than they do now for a gigabit-capable connection.
This may be because there is not currently a significant benefit to them, or due
to price sensitivity”.
(Which? 2020) found that “only 18% of broadband decision-makers would be
willing to pay more than they do now to have gigabit-capable broadband”.
Although (Nokia 2020b) found that “50% are willing to pay more for 5G”.
Micro barriers - supporting evidence

Lack of A Barclays study (Barclays 2019) surveyed 526 medium-sized and large
understanding of businesses from a wide range of sectors 25. Across British businesses,
5G and the Barclays found that “there’s a lack of understanding of what 5G can do for
benefits using industry - only 28% of businesses know what 5G is and what it could do on a
5G offers practical level”. “14% of British firms are not even aware of 5G” and “more
than half [of the managers that know what 5G is] were unsure about how it
would work practically”, and “only 9% of managers plan to invest significantly
in enabling 5G operations over the next 5 years”. Furthermore “most British
firms don’t know that 5G will arrive in the next 12 to 18 months”. The report
went on to highlight that “this blind spot is not just concentrated in certain
regions, as might be expected”, but was prevalent throughout the UK.
Digital Catapult’s (2019) study identified “current lack of understanding of how

5G differs from other connectivity solutions” as another key challenge. More
than 30% of survey respondents listed ‘lack of skilled staff’ as one of the
23
Consumer goods, retail and logistics (20%); communication, media and technology (15%); energy and
utilities (9%); financial services and insurance (12%); healthcare, life sciences, government and agriculture
(18%); and industrial manufacturing, automotive and high tech (26%).
24
Energy, retail, manufacturing, government and public safety, automotive and transportation, media and
advertising, and education.
25
The respondents came from the manufacturing, retail, technology, media and telecoms, business
services, healthcare, educations, hospitality and leisure, logistics and charitable sectors.
biggest barriers to deployment of 5G technology for their organisation and

more than 40% chose ‘not knowing where to start, who to speak to’.
Additionally only one third of manufacturing companies say they have “good
knowledge of 5G”.
Cerre’s whitepaper on ambitions for Europe (Cerre 2019) in the 2019-2024
period stated that “it appears that the transition from 4G to 5G lacks the
stepwise improvement that has led to the success of 2G-GSM”.
49% of (Infosys 2019) respondents cited ‘understanding of the technology’ as
an adoption barrier for 5G. Lack of understanding and relevant skills relating to
5G requires training and reskilling of the workforce, and 51% of respondents
selected ‘Training and hiring’ as an adoption barrier to 5G.
As IoT is a complementary tool to 5G emergence, barriers to IoT adoption
may cascade to 5G as well. As such we reviewed an IoT enterprise survey
conducted by GSMA Intelligence in 2018, 2019 and 2020 to collect insights
from more than 2000 enterprises with at least 20 employees representing
eight vertical sectors 26 and 18 countries 27. (GSMAi 2020b) found that 38% of
enterprises felt ‘a lack of in-house skills’ was a challenge for IoT deployment.
(GigaTAG 2020) identified ‘lack of awareness’ as a barrier to consumer
adoption of gigabit-capable broadband, stating that consumers were ‘unclear
how it differs to other connections (on the market and their own)’. They also
identified that “Understanding: of ‘gigabit-capable broadband’ is low amongst
businesses across the UK”, with CBI data showing that 14% of respondent
businesses “didn’t know what gigabit connectivity is”, with 36% of firms
indicating that “not knowing when gigabit-capable connectivity would be
available in their area was a barrier to adoption”. Additionally, “the GigaTAG’s
research so far indicates that businesses also face a range of skills barriers
that hinder adoption: of firms that hadn’t already adopted gigabit capable
connectivity, almost one in ten (9%) business respondents in the CBI’s survey
said they did not have the skills needed to adopt gigabit-capable technologies
effectively”.
Analysys Mason (2018) interviewed 23 stakeholders and received comments
from government departments. They identified one overarching issue for 5G
deployment: the need to clearly articulate the value that 5G roll-out in the UK
will bring. “Both industry stakeholders and local authorities raised overarching
concerns that:
• There is a need for greater clarity and wider promotion of the value of 5G
roll-out, and clearer definition of the UK’s 5G strategy, to reduce
uncertainty for industry
• There is a lack of awareness of nationwide 5G priorities within local
authorities, which risks delaying 5G roll-out if not addressed in the short
term”
26
Retail, utilities, transportation, healthcare, public sector, manufacturing, automotive and consumer
electronics.
27
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South
Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK and USA.
Of those surveyed by (Nokia 2020), a large minority (30%) said “they need
more information about what 5G can do for their organisation before starting to
plan”. This lack of information was the second biggest barrier to adoption
identified after lack of 5G coverage.
A Nokia study (Nokia 2020b) of more than 3000 adults aged 18 and older who
are smartphone owners, broadband internet users, and the primary decision
makers in their household in the USA, the UK and South Korea (1000 from
each 28) found that although 80% of consumers familiar with 5G find it
appealing, only 23% of those unfamiliar with 5G find it appealing – showing
the impact of lack of understanding of 5G on likely adoption. The
corresponding (Nokia 2020c) enterprise survey which surveyed 1628
technology purchasing decision makers in eight markets 29 and across six
industry sectors 30 found that “companies may appreciate the benefits of 5G in
theory, but not all understand how they would actually use it within their
organisation”, with 14% of UK respondents saying “a key barrier is that
decision-makers within the business do not understand 5G”, 12% saying “they
don’t know enough about it themselves” and 9% saying “I don’t understand the
true benefits”. This was reinforced by the 36% of global respondents who said
that “a better understanding of 5G, and the benefits it offers, would encourage
them to invest more”.
Existing Roughly 25% of (Digital Catapult 2019) survey respondents listed ‘existing
technologies network solutions cover my needs’ as one of the biggest barriers to
(e.g. fibre/4G/Wi- deployment of 5G technology for their organisation. Digital Catapult also found
Fi) are seen as that “manufacturers often incorrectly believe that their existing connectivity
sufficient capability already performs around 80% of what 5G is expected to deliver”.
(Barclays 2019) concluded that “a slower rate of network development and a
less vigorous customer response to the availability and services […] could be
because […] a higher proportion of customers remain happy with the service
they get from 4G and are slower to switch over.”
60% of respondents in 2016 listed ‘opportunities related to current generation
of mobile networks not yet fully exploited’ although that had dropped to 44%
by 2017 (Ericsson 2018).
A report by Analysys Mason into spend on LTE/5G private networks suggests
that the cost of deploying private LTE/5G private networks is high compared to
alternatives such as Wi-Fi. Thus, there is a risk that only relatively large
enterprises can afford to deploy them. Small and medium sized enterprises
(SMEs) and some other industrial users might therefore be excluded due to
cost concerns, as well as complexity. The same Analysys Mason report also
found “brownfield sites with a complex technology environment make
integration challenging: most industrial environments are brownfield sites; they
already have a plethora of networking technologies in place. Installing new,
additional technologies can be complex and costly”.
28
Demographic quotas were set for age, gender, and household income to ensure samples were
representative of the population of each market surveyed.
29
Australia, Finland, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, UK, and USA.
30
Energy and utilities, mining, manufacturing, public sector, healthcare, and transportation.
GigaTag’s Interim Report (GigaTAG 2020) found that “the services people
have, or have available to them (i.e. superfast broadband), currently meet the
needs of the majority” they cited (Which? 2020) research that found that “73%
of broadband decision-makers said that their connection met their needs
during lockdown” and Ofcom (Ofcom 2020) research which found that “the
majority (82%) of people are satisfied with the speed of their service”.
28% of people surveyed by (Nokia 2020) say they “ want to make the most of
their existing network equipment before upgrading”.
(Nokia 2020b) found that in areas where 5G is available 44% of consumers
identified “4G service is good enough for me” as a barrier to use.
Ecosystem not (Barclays 2019), although optimistic about “early adopters”, highlighted that
ready/ fully “it’s the killer apps and the incredible new devices that bring everyone else on
available board”, stating that the networks are nothing without devices and applications
to run on them” although they did see “evidence of ample investment [in
these]”. In their model they stated that if “killer apps that encourage fast take-
up are slower to emerge” then there could be “a slower rate of network
development and a less vigorous customer response to the availability and
services”.
(Digital Catapult 2019) found that as part of interviewees concerns regarding
compatibility and interoperability with existing solutions, they had uncertainties
regarding “any other system solutions sitting on top of a network”.
(Ericsson 2018) found that in 2016, 53% of respondents chose ‘lack of a
mature ecosystem’ to be a key barrier to adoption of 5G. This had decreased
to 45% by 2017, although a second category, ‘lack of platforms to take full
advantage of 5G’ was also added in 2017 and 46% of respondents identified
that as a key barrier.
(Infosys 2019) found that 49% of respondents selected ‘device readiness’ as a
barrier to 5G adoption, and 51% selected ‘lack of technology maturity’. The
latter was identified as being especially relevant for UK respondents.
45% of (Nokia 2020b) respondents selected “do not own a 5G phone” as a
barrier to use in areas where 5G is available. The corresponding enterprise
survey identified one barrier as “Ecosystem availability - 5G currently exists in
pockets of availability. Some urban cities have 5G networks and a minority of
organisations have developed private 5G networks – but it is not yet the
network standard. As such, the most-cited barrier to 5G investment and
implementation was ‘availability of 5G-enabled products’, mentioned by 29%
of UK decision-makers” Nokia 2020c).
Complexities of (Digital Catapult 2019) found that “Interviewees were concerned about
integrating new compatibility and interoperability with existing solutions” and hence identified
5G solutions with “Concerns around compatibility and interoperability of mobile networks when it
existing comes to integration into existing industrial systems” as one of five key
technology and challenges facing 5G adoption within manufacturing.
systems
In 2017 ‘challenges of end-to-end implementation’ was added to the (Ericsson
2018) survey, and 69% of respondents selected it as a key barrier, making it
the third most common key barrier to 5G adoption.
(GigaTAG 2020) identified ‘hassle related to the switch – requirement for

engineer visits [for gigabit capable connection installation]’ as a barrier to
consumer adoption of gigabit-capable broadband.
(Which? 2020) found that “22% of broadband decision-makers didn’t want
someone to come to their home to install a new connection”.
In 2020, ‘integrating with existing technology’ was the most common challenge
to IoT deployment identified in GSMAi’s survey (GSMAi 2020b) having been
selected by 53% of enterprises. It was also one of the top three challenges
identified in the two years prior.
43% of (Infosys 2019) respondents identified ‘integration with existing network
and systems’ as a challenge to deployment.
Cultural “Cultural barriers to working with companies in different sectors such as
resistance to telecommunications, as well as start-ups” was identified as one of five key
change challenges in manufacturing in Digital Catapult’s study (Digital Catapult 2019).
(Ericsson 2018) found that in 2016 49% of respondents felt that ‘senior
stakeholder buy-in/concerns’ was a key barrier to 5G adoption. By 2017 that
number had increased to 54%.
In 2020, 40% of enterprises identified ‘employee/internal resistance’ as a
challenge to IoT deployment (GSMAi 2020b).
Security Another one of Digital Catapult’s five key challenges for manufacturing was
concerns / the “need for security” stating that “manufacturers want control over the
moving data to security of their connectivity and data, as well as the connectivity itself, to
the cloud assess the quality of service. They have concerns about connecting
production lines to external stakeholders without expertise in their sector”.
Particular challenges include “no clear ownership of risk, limited control or
visibility of future changes, potential for giving part of their capabilities away to
a third party, and concerns over long term service level agreements (SLAs)”.
This was further evidence by c.30% of survey respondents listing ‘concerns
over security’ as one of the biggest barriers to deployment of 5G technology
for their organisation (Digital Catapult 2019).
In 2017, the most common key barrier (Ericsson 2018) identified was
‘concerns around data security and privacy’ which was selected by 79% of
respondents, up from 60% in 2016.
‘Data security’ was the most commonly cited barrier in Infosys’ survey (Infosys
2019) with 59% of respondents identifying it as an adoption barrier to 5G, this
was consistent across regions.
‘Security and data privacy concerns’ was identified by enterprises as one of
the top three challenges to IoT deployment in 2018, 2019 and 2020, with 50%
of enterprises selecting it in 2020 (GSMAi 2020b).
34% of enterprise respondents in (Nokia 2020c) were “concerned about the
security of 5G” rising to 40% in healthcare and 43% in the mining industry. In
turn, 22% cited security risks related to 5G as a primary barrier to its
implementation.
Lack of Digital Catapult’s study also identified “lack of demonstrable cost-efficiency

business case / and return on investment” as one of five key challenges, stating that “a clear
understanding ROI and business case is crucial to the introduction of 5G in manufacturing,
of ROI according to our interviews”. More than 70% of survey respondents listed ‘lack
of understanding of ROI and value’ as one of the biggest barriers to
deployment of 5G technology for their organisation, agreeing with this finding
(Digital Catapult 2019).
(Barclays 2019) found that “nearly half of companies reported that they didn’t
expect to see an increase in business revenues from the advent of 5G”, and in
particular “only 7% of managers in the Healthcare industry are expecting a
significant increase in revenue compared to the highest reported figure of 26%
of Logistics businesses.”
(Cerre 2019) highlighted a need to reduce market uncertainty in order to
stimulate investment.
(GigaTAG 2020) found that “a number of businesses perceive there to be little

current benefit in taking up gigabit capable technologies – with a third of
respondents to the CBI Tech Tracker Survey stating that they have no current
plans to invest in gigabit-capable technologies”. The report also states that “of
businesses that had not already adopted gigabit-capable technologies, almost
one-in-five (19%) didn’t see the Return on Investment of gigabit-capable
technologies.”
In 2020 27% of respondents identified ‘unclear ROI’ as a challenge to IoT
deployment (GSMAi 2020b).
(Nokia 2020) stated that “demonstrating ROI will be key to success”.
Concern over The percentage of respondents in (Ericsson 2018) who identified ‘lack of
upfront (capital) budget/investment’ as a key barrier to 5G adoption increased from 60% in
costs 2016 to 61% in 2017.
‘Cost of implementation’ has been identified as one of the top three challenges
for IoT deployment among enterprises for 2018, 2019 and 2020, with 47% of
respondents selecting it in 2020 (GSMAi 2020b).
50% of (Infosys 2019) survey respondents indicated ‘investment involved’ was
an adoption barrier to 5G.
30% of consumers in areas where 5G is available cite “5G phones are too
expensive” as a barrier to use (Nokia 2020b).
In the UK 17% of enterprises cited “the costs are too high” as a barrier to 5G
investment (Nokia 2020c).
Lack of Nearly 60% of Digital Catapult’s survey respondents listed cost as one of the
understanding of biggest barriers to deployment of 5G technology for their organisation (Digital
total cost of Catapult 2019).
ownership (TCO)
38% of consumers in areas where 5G is available said that “5G data plans are
/ concern over
too expensive” (Nokia 2020b).
ongoing costs/
monthly data
costs
6 Modelling the adoption and benefits of

5G
6.1 Overview
This section describes our approach to modelling 5G adoption in the UK and
estimating the economic, environmental, and social benefits. The modelling
can be broken down into three components:
• Modelling UK-wide adoption and market barriers and modelling of public
network roll-out
• Disaggregating UK-wide adoption projections for the UK regions, Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland, and also for rural and urban areas of each
region and country
• Estimating economic, environmental, and social benefits
A diagram showing simplified linkages between these components is
presented in Figure 6-1. It shows how outputs of these components are used
as inputs by other components. The diagram also shows the key assumptions
underpinning each stage of modelling.
Figure 6-1 Model logic diagram
Source: Cambridge Econometrics and Analysys Mason.
6.2 Adoption and barriers model

We have considered the adoption of 5G applications, modelled as the take-up
of each group of use cases by each consumer group, over a 15-year period
(2020–35). The resulting adoption curves are expressed as a percentage of
the addressable market. This section outlines the approach taken to model
adoption curves, taking into account associated barriers for 5G applications.
Using 5G enablement curves to quantify demand for 5G

Published data on ‘5G enablement’ from GSMA was used as a starting point
in developing these adoption curves. 5G enablement represents the
progressive impact of 5G on the economy, over a 15-year timescale (i.e.
2020–35), by consumer group and types of 5G application. The GSMA
modelled these benefits as starting from 2020 and achieving 100% realisation
by 2035. With this information as a starting point, taking into account the
evidence base analysed in this study along with Analysys Mason’s own insight
and experience, we refined these into a UK-specific set of 5G enablement
curves, mapped to our consumer groups and 5G applications definitions.
The GSMA report (GSMA 2018) provides unweighted forecasts for 5G

adoption or enablement, by 5G feature, for a number of country categories.
The GSMA’s curves were derived based on industry research, 4G adoption,
and inputs from a panel of experts. The experts were asked their views on
how quickly different 5G use cases might be adopted, in different world
regions. Key threshold years (the year the 5G use case will be initially
deployed, and the year the use case will reach maturity) were defined for
different types of market (advanced adopters, early adopters, late adopters).
Whilst the UK was not specifically modelled, we envisage it would fall into the
‘early adopter Europe’ category defined by the GSMA.
The figures below show a selection of the GSMA’s forecasts and underlying
enablement assumptions.
Table 6-1.: Example of 5G enablement assumptions – Early Adopters Europe (retained

for the UK)
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
High-speed 0% 0% 1% 1% 3% 6% 11% 19% 31% 45% 60%

Broadband
in the Home
High-speed 0% 1% 2% 3% 5% 9% 15% 23% 35% 48% 61%
Broadband
in the Office
Ultra-Low 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 2% 3% 6% 11% 18% 29%
Cost
Networks in
Rural Areas
Dynamic Hot 0% 1% 2% 3% 5% 9% 15% 23% 35% 48% 61%
Spots
Note: 0% in this table represents negligible/no adoption of the respective 5G use case.
Translating barrier impact into enablement scenarios

We model demand-side barriers as having an impact on both the timing (i.e. a
delay in adoption starting) and rate of adoption (i.e. a slower adoption over
time) 31. We have assessed for each consumer group how barriers for specific
5G applications will impact adoption. A summary of our findings for the AR/VR
5G application in the Public services consumer group is presented in the table
below:
Table 6-2.: Barrier assessment overall rating – AR/VR illustration
Barriers to adoption Delay to Impact on rate Relevance of

adoption of adoption barrier
Existing technologies (e.g.
3 4 6%
fibre/4G/Wi-Fi) seen as sufficient
Lack of business case /
4 3 17%
understanding of ROI
Concern over upfront (capital)
0 0 0%
costs
Lack of understanding of total cost
of ownership (TCO) /
2 2 6%
concern over ongoing
costs/monthly data costs
Cultural resistance to change 2 2 6%
Ecosystem not ready / fully
3 4 17%
available
Security concerns / moving data to
3 3 17%
the cloud
Lack of understanding of 5G and
3 4 28%
the benefits using 5G offers
Complexities of integrating with
1 2 6%
existing technology and systems
Overall rating 4 3 100%
= MAX [Delay = Weighted Ave
to adoption] [Rate of adoption x Relevance]
Overall scenario Mid-term: Slow adoption
4 years delay rate
Note: Delay to adoption is the number of years (from 2021) the start of adoption is delayed by.
Impact on rate of adoption sets the curve of adoption to one of four options (limited
early adoption, slow adoption, medium adoption, rapid adoption. Relevance is a
measure of the relative economic impact of 5G applications in each consumer group.
Modelling scale of adoption

As discussed, the 5G enablement forecasts provided by GSMA do not provide
an indication of the scale of adoption (in terms of number of firms for example)
when 100% benefits are achieved. Equally, it is not immediately obvious what
10%, 20% or 50% enablement achievement translates to in terms of scale and
31 Please see standalone Appendix B for a detailed explanation on the barrier analysis..
intensity of adoption of 5G applications. As such, a secondary piece of

analysis has been conducted to provide scenarios on the asymptotic (or ‘end-
point’) 5G adoption (at a firm level) to accompany the enablement curves
provided.
The adoption curves reflect adoption relative to a notional maturity level for 5G
adoption in the UK, which can be thought about as an 'addressable market'; at
100% adoption, all firms that are susceptible to adopt 5G would have done so.
As such, we have developed a view on what this addressable market could
be, based on adoption trends for internet and advanced technologies at
different degrees of maturity (Eurostat 2020), (ONS 2018).
• an optimistic view of 5G would treat it as a general-purpose technology
that could be adopted by nearly all firms, like the internet is currently
• a more nuanced view would be to look at advanced digital technologies
including IoT, cloud services and 'big data', for which adoption statistics
are available at UK and EU level
The scale of adoption can be expressed as % of firms by size class, and by
number of employees in these firms. We have presented two addressable
market scenarios by consumer group 32, based on the adoption of selected
reference technologies (i.e. the Internet and IoT, cloud and big data).
The enablement curves outputs from the barrier analysis (as presented in the
previous subsection) modulate adoption over time as a % of this addressable
market. This is done by multiplying the total addressable market, in terms of
number of employees, by the % adoption in each year on the adoption curve.
Translating addressable market to adoption curves

The cumulative benefit realised at the end of the forecast period is distributed
over years in the model by the enablement curves. The addressable market
gives a measure of the number of firms realising this benefit. To formulate
scale of adoption scenarios, long-run addressable market scenarios have
been applied multiplicatively to the enablement curve outputs for the two
barrier analysis cases (i.e. Optimistic case and Central case). Where the trend
for the 5G application with the highest adoption is used to represent scaling of
the addressable market at the consumer group level.
6.3 Disaggregating adoption

The model carries out further calculations to breakdown 5G adoption
projections by UK region, country and rural/urban area. This is achieved
based on assumptions around the sub-national roll-out of a public 5G network
and concurrent roll-out of private networks.
Roll-out modelling
32Mapping of SIC/NACE codes to Consumer Groups has been included in the

analysis (See standalone Appendix D)
The sub-national profile of 5G adoption will depend, in part, of the availability

of a local 5G network connection. This 5G network connection could either be
provided by a public 5G network, or a private network licensed to an individual
enterprise.
Public roll-out We expect the majority of 5G adoption will be using a public 5G network. At
present, the UK’s public 5G network has been rolled out in a small number of
urban centres. We assume the roll-out of a public 5G network will continue to
follow population density, with higher population density areas receiving 5G
coverage sooner than lower population density areas.
The starting assumption used in modelling of 5G roll-out are the UK-wide 5G
roll-out projections obtained from Huawei and Oxford Economics study (2019).
These projections (in terms of % of UK population living in areas covered by
5G) are used to calculate the increases in population living in areas with 5G
coverage in each year.
For each year, the increase in population living in areas covered by 5G is
allocated to the sub-regions with the greatest population density which have
not yet been covered by public 5G networks. The coverage of these
sub-regions is projected to increase from 0% to 100% of the regions’
population. Therefore, in any given year, the UK-wide increase in population
living in areas covered by 5G will be identical to the combined population of
sub-regions which are projected to have 5G rolled out in the same year 33.
This step relies on high-resolution sub-regional data on population, population
density and urban/rural classification:
• English and Welsh Middle-Layer Super Output Areas;
• Scottish Intermediate Zones;
• Northern Ireland’s Local Authority Districts.
These data are for 2019 or 2020. It is assumed that the population density will
remain the same throughout the roll-out modelling period.
The output of roll-out modelling is a table assigning the forecasted year during
which 5G will be rolled out in each sub-region. This output is used as
intermediate input to calculation of public network adoption described in
sections below.
Private networks Private networks have been identified as a key feature of 5G for certain types
of industrial user. We thus expect a proportion of 5G adopters to use private
networks, rather than public networks. However, the extent to which private
networks will be utilised in future is highly uncertain, especially as at present
only a handful of 5G private networks have been set-up in the UK.
Given the degree of uncertainty of the scale of future private network use, we
have taken a relatively simple approach to incorporating private network
assumptions into our model. We allow the user of the model to input their own
assumptions around the following variables:
• The percentage of total 5G adoption among largest firms which uses
private networks
33
Subject to small difference due to rounding.
• The consumer groups that will use private networks

We assume that only the largest firms with employment of 250 and more will
use private networks. As private networks will not rely on public 5G
infrastructure, their availability is independent of the roll-out of public networks.
Therefore, adoption of private networks by region or country is solely driven by
the presence of the largest firms (250 or more employees) in certain sectors
which are assumed to rely on private networks.
Roll-out and adoption of private networks are modelled simultaneously (since
all firms which roll out private 5G networks will also be adopting 5G at the
same time). To obtain the total UK-wide roll-out and adoption of private
networks, the UK-wide adoption curves are multiplied by the addressable
market assumptions and by the assumed share of private networks in 5G
adoption across the largest firms.
In the next step, UK-wide adoption is distributed across regions and countries
based on the presence of the largest firms in each consumer group which is
assumed to rely on private networks. In any given year, the roll-out and
adoption in a particular region or country are assumed to be proportional to
the region or country’s share in population of these largest firms which have
not yet adopted public or private 5G.
The output of private network roll-out and adoption modelling is a number of
employees working in firms which have adopted private networks.
Disaggregating adoption based on roll-out

Based on the expected path of public network roll-out, the model calculates
the proportion of employment in firms which have access to a public 5G
network in each region 34. The UK-wide adoption curves are then
disaggregated such that adoption via public route only occurs in firms with
access to a public network.
The process is iterated for each year up to 2035, so that for each region the
employment in firms which have access to a public 5G network and have not
yet adopted is calculated. UK-wide adoption of public networks is then
allocated across these regions based on their share in the total UK-wide pool
of employment in firms which have access to a public 5G network.
Each adoption curve, for a given consumer group and firm size, is
disaggregated in this way. For private networks, adoption can take place in
areas which are not yet covered by public 5G. Therefore, the UK-wide
adoption of private networks is allocated across regions based on their share
in the total pool of employment in the largest firms (250+ employees).
The model then aggregates adoption across consumer groups and firm sizes
to calculate total annual adoption by region or country and rural/urban area.
Annual adoption in each region or country is thus determined by:
• 5G infrastructure roll-out (public networks only)
• The composition of the region in terms of consumer groups
34
Regions available include English regions, countries (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) and rural/urban
areas within these.
• The composition in the region in terms of firm size

The implicit assumption underpinning regional 5G adoption disaggregation
results is that the composition of consumer groups across regions will remain
the same throughout the modelling period.
The output of the public network adoption modelling is a share of employment
working in firms which have adopted 5G, for each region or country and
consumer group.
6.4 Economic benefits modelling

The overall approach to the economic modelling can be categorised in three
key stages. The model first estimates total economy impacts. The relative
impacts across consumer groups are then estimated. Lastly, the sub-national
impacts are estimated based on the projected sub-national distribution of 5G
adoption.
The economic impact of 5G adoption is modelled as an annual GVA growth
uplift over an economic baseline. It is constructed from economic forecasts
generated by multisectoral dynamic modelling (CE’s MDM UK model). The
baseline is built up from a set of two-digit SIC code GVA forecasts mapped to
the consumer groups. It is designed to provide a no-5G adoption
counterfactual 35.
We follow GSMA (2019) in modelling the size of the UK-wide annual GVA
growth uplift as determined by two factors: the path of 5G adoption; and an
assumption of the maximum annual growth rate uplift as an impact of 5G
adoption. We take a scenario-driven approach to modelling these factors, to
account for the uncertainty around the future adoption and impact of 5G,
which in turn is due to the lack of empirical evidence to date on which to hang
a reliable forecast. The scenarios are set out in Section 7.
The model calculates relative impacts (i.e. the share of total GVA uplift that is
attributable to each consumer group) based on three factors:
1. Adoption – If a consumer group adopts 5G faster and generally if 5G is
more pervasive in a consumer group, then it will have a greater share
of the total economic impacts attributed to it (all other things equal).
2. 5G sensitivity – The model includes the option for certain consumer
groups are assumed to be more sensitive to 5G impacts. This is based
on the digital intensity of the consumer groups, which reflects the
extent to which a consumer group consumes digital intermediate inputs
and invests in digital assets.
3. Economic size of consumer group – If a consumer group is larger in
size (in terms of GVA), then it will have a greater share of the total
economic impacts attributed to it (all other things equal).
Notably, the proportional uplift in GVA growth is determined by adoption and
5G sensitivity alone. The rationale for this is firstly that 5G has the potential to
35
MDM treats technology as endogenous, forecasting incremental improvements in technology based on
historical trends. It does not capture transformational changes to technology. As such, to construct the no-
5G baseline we calibrate the MDM forecast to our incremental improvement 5G scenario, which is
described in more detail in the next chapter.
lift GVA growth, and that the potential GVA uplift is shaped by the consumer
group’s relationship with digital technology. Potential uplift is adjusted so that
the consumer groups which use existing digital technology most intensively
stand to experience the most proportional gains from 5G. Specifically, this
process involves constructing statistical weights which can be used to
augment GVA uplift. The calculations are shown below, where 𝑖𝑖 is the
consumer group, 𝜔𝜔 is the statistical weight, 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 is gross fixed capital
formation, 𝑍𝑍 is intermediate demand (i.e. demand for supplies/support
services) and ∆𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 is the change in GVA.
𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝑖𝑖,𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑍𝑍𝑖𝑖,𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
⎧0.5 + 0.5 , if digital total
⎪ 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐹𝐹𝑖𝑖,𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑍𝑍𝑖𝑖,𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡
⎪ 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝑖𝑖,𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝜔𝜔𝑖𝑖 = , if digital investment
⎨ 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐹𝐹𝑖𝑖,𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡
⎪
⎪ 𝑍𝑍𝑖𝑖,𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
, if digital demand
⎩ 𝑍𝑍𝑖𝑖,𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡
∑𝑖𝑖 ∆𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐴𝐴𝑖𝑖,𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖
∆𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝑖𝑖 = 𝜔𝜔𝑖𝑖 ∆𝐺𝐺𝑉𝑉𝐴𝐴𝑖𝑖,𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 ×
∑𝑖𝑖 𝜔𝜔𝑖𝑖 ∆𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐴𝐴𝑖𝑖,𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖
This manipulation is muted under the “Digital balanced” scenario assumption.
Next, adoption shapes the extent to which the potential gains from 5G are
realised. Consumer groups which adopt 5G most rapidly are able to
accelerate GVA growth earlier and by a greater extent. Total addressable
market assumptions also affect the GVA uplift experienced in the ADT
scenario (under GPT total addressable market is proportionate across all
consumer groups).
Lastly, the GVA uplift is applied to the respective activities within each
consumer group. For a given GVA growth uplift, consumer groups which
include a larger amount of economic activities (such as Smart Urban)
therefore generate larger GVA benefits.
Sub-national economic impacts are calculated using the intermediate outputs

from the adoption disaggregation module described in Section 6.3. The
starting point in disaggregating economic benefits by region or country is the
region or country’s share in total UK employment working in firms which have
adopted 5G, for each consumer group.
In the next step these shares are converted using sub-national GVA data to
sub-national shares in total UK GVA attributable to employment working in
firms which adopted 5G. This conversion allows the model to account for sub-
national differences in GVA per employee. Therefore, the estimated economic
impact in region A for any given consumer group is calculated as:
𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝐴𝐴
= 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈-𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖
𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 𝐴𝐴′ 𝑠𝑠 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝑤𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖ℎ 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 5𝐺𝐺
∗
𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈-𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝑤𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖ℎ 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 5𝐺𝐺
A similar approach is used to calculate sub-national impacts of private

networks adoption. These impacts are assumed to be proportional to
employment working in firms which adopted private 5G networks, expressed
as a share of total employment working in firms which adopted 5G.
6.5 Environmental benefits modelling

Environmental benefits are modelled as additional emissions avoided due to
adoption of 5G-enabled over 4G for a range of use cases. The avoided
emissions factors are obtained from GSMA (2019), which estimated avoided
emissions factors from various mobile network enabled technologies in 2018.
Avoided emissions factors represent a net impact on emissions, considering
the avoided emissions, as well as the emissions associated with the use of
mobile-technology-enabled alternative. The additional avoided emissions from
using 5G are calculated by applying additionality factors used in Accenture
(2019) to conduct a similar exercise for Canada.
These avoided emissions factors cover a range of IoT machine to machine
use cases and smartphone use cases. The way in which 5G use leads to
emissions savings depends on the type of use case:
• IoT machine to machine use cases such as those in buildings, transport,
manufacturing, and the energy sector, will enable emissions savings
through improved efficiency.
• In addition, smartphone 5G use cases will enable emissions savings
through behavioural changes (e.g. more online shopping, use of transport
apps increased public transport use, etc,).
For each of the use cases for which avoided emissions factor data are
available, the model calculates avoided emissions by projecting the number of
5G connections linked to that use case and applying the avoided emissions
factor.
The number of IoT machine to machine connections in the UK is estimated by
taking the GSMA-estimated number of connections in Europe in 2018 and
scaling it using a ratio of UK to European GVA in each consumer group. The
number of devices is then projected up to 2035 assuming the same growth
rate as the baseline economic growth projections.
The number of smartphone connections linked to the use cases derived from
GSMA (2019) is projected forward by extrapolating Analysys Mason’s in-
house projections on the number of smartphones, or using baseline economic
growth projections (IoT machine to machine use cases).
We calculate avoided emissions under the assumption of additionality of 5G
compared to its predecessors. This approach follows Accenture (2019), in
which 5G multipliers were assumed to result in additional avoided emissions
enabled by 5G-enabled features. As in the Accenture study, we set the upper
case for 5G additionality at 90% improvement, and the lower case at a 40%
improvement. Therefore, the estimated impacts can be interpreted as the
incremental reduction in emissions brought by 5G-enabled features of various
mobile network technologies.
It is worth noting that we have not explicitly modelled the environmental impact
of increased economic activity resulting from 5G adoption. It is reasonable to
expect that higher economic output stimulated by 5G could increase

emissions. To model this type of effect would require emissions estimates
directly linked to economic impact estimates, which we do not attempt to
model here.
6.6 Social benefits modelling

Our literature review of the social impacts of 5G found numerous potential
benefits. However, the nature of many social impacts (health, wellbeing,
quality of life etc.) make them difficult to quantify, with only a small number of
bottom-up literature attempting to do so for specific use cases of interest.
For this reason, we focus on quantifying the social benefits for only a specific
use case – time savings from adoption of IoT technologies by individual
consumers. This was the use case for which the most robust evidence was
available, considering factors including availability of empirical data and
evidence of additionality. We anticipate that as more data become available in
future, it will be feasible to quantify the social benefits of other use cases
following a similar approach.
The calculation of UK-wide time savings due to adoption of 5G-enabled IoT

technologies is based on various parameters. The following formula was used
to estimate the annual time savings (in hours):
𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 (ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜)

= 5𝐺𝐺 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 ∗ 𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟
∗ 5𝐺𝐺 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 ∗
∗ 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎
∗ 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝
The 5G adoption rate is taken from the adoption and barriers model as an
adoption curve for ‘High-speed broadband into homes and offices’ consumer
group, which is assessed to best represent the adoption of personal and
household 5G IoT devices. The assumption on the IoT time savings rate
(17%) is taken from McKinsey study (2015). To reflect 5G additionality in the
estimate, only 5% of these time savings from IoT applications are attributed to
5G. This additionality factor is based on the lower-end parameter used in the
European Commission (2016) study. Other parameters used in the calculation
include the average time spent on household and family care per adult in the
UK (from Eurostat) and UK adult population projections (from the ONS).
To obtain the monetary value of time saved, the estimated annual time
savings in hours are multiplied by the estimated value of time obtained from
the economic literature. The estimate was sourced from a study on the
Willingness to Pay (WTP) for leisure traded against unpaid work (Verbooy, et
al. 2018). After applying currency conversion and inflation adjustment, this
value stood at £8.10 per hour (2018 prices).
The values of estimated social impacts produced by the model (time saved
and its value) are directly proportional to the values of parameters outlined in
the equation above. Therefore, any uncertainty around the value of these
parameters leads to a directly proportional degree of uncertainty around the

estimated impacts. For example, the 5G additionality parameter, at 5%, is
taken as a lower end estimate from the European Commission study (based
on the enhanced real-time capabilities and connectivity to the cloud offered by
5G wearable devices). However, the potential additionality of 5G to home and
consumer could be as high as 10%, if based on a parameter from the same
study (additionality of enhanced 5G-enabled real-time data exchange
capabilities of smart meters). This means that the estimated time savings and
their value could double if the alternative value of 5G additionality parameter
was used.
Similarly, alternative sources estimate the time saving rate of personal and
household IoT devices at 20% (AT Kearney 2016). Use of this rate (instead of
the assumed 17%) would increase the estimated time savings and their value
by approximately 9%. This demonstrates a large degree of uncertainty in the
estimated social impacts.
6.7 Challenges and limitations

It is important to note that modelling future impacts of 5G adoption is a
challenging exercise due to the complexity of the task and the high level of
uncertainty, in part due to a lack of empirical evidence. Compared to previous
mobile broadband standards, 5G is supposed to enable a wider range of use
cases and applications. However, 5G is a relatively new technology that is
only just beginning to be rolled out in the UK and around the world. This
means there are very few empirical data on the roll out, adoption and
application of 5G. The absence of empirical data on how 5G is being used and
by whom, and the scale and nature of benefits associated with that makes it
difficult, if not impossible, to populate the model with data and parameters
based on real world experience.
Existing studies have attempted to estimate the overall impact or benefit of
5G. However, faced with the same data limitations, these studies all provide
ex ante estimates which either rely on assumptions about the nature and scale
of the adoption of 5G and the benefits it brings; or draw on the empirical
evidence on the evolution and impact of previous technologies, such as 4G, to
approximate or make assumptions about how 5G will be adopted and the
benefits it will bring.
Both approaches have limitations. Studies based on the impacts of previous
technologies can use robust estimates of these impacts but are restricted by
the assumption that 5G is comparable to previous technologies. Studies which
forecast the impact of 5G based purely on expert assessment can assume
that the impact of 5G will be more transformative, but such forecasts are
highly subjective. The trade-off between the extent to which these studies are
grounded in empirical data and the extent to which they consider the specifics
of 5G reflects the limited evidence base – a challenge we are also faced with.
Without sufficient data to estimate our own model relationships, we will have
to rely on estimates and assumptions from these studies to develop the model
parameters.
A further challenge of identifying the benefits of 5G is additionality –
determining the extent to which each benefit can be attributed to 5G. This is
difficult because many of the 5G use cases are also at least partly functional
with 4G or other internet technologies – making the benefit from 5G
incremental and hard to isolate. Backward-looking studies, such as those
estimating the impacts of earlier technologies, can overcome the additionality
problem through well designed identification strategies. Forward-looking
studies do not have this luxury. Some studies attempt to address additionality
by focusing only on use cases for which 5G is critical, while others apply an
estimate of the degree of additionality, to scale down their impact estimates.
Many studies make no attempt to address additionality.
We aim to address the additionality problem as far as possible by utilising
estimates of earlier technology impacts, available estimates of additionality
factors, and a scenario-driven approach. Nevertheless, some results from the
model will need to be carefully interpreted with respect to their degree of
additionality based on our own knowledge of the use cases and the extent to
which they are enabled by 5G.
Considering the challenges that we have set out, the model has been
designed to break down the distribution of the benefits across consumer
groups, households and firms, and geographical areas. In doing this, the
model meets fills an evidence gap that is important for policymakers to
address. It also allows us to ground the model in data and assumptions
around relatively impacts that we can be more confident about. The scale of
the impacts of 5G are highly uncertain, but the likely relative impacts of 5G will
be driven, to some extent, by the profile of 5G adoption among consumer
groups and geographical areas.
7 Scenario descriptions
This chapter describes the scenarios for 5G adoption and impact that we have
developed and for which model results are presented in this report. Note that a
key feature of the model is that the user can build their own scenarios by
varying many of the model parameters. The scenarios we present have been
constructed based on our own assessment of the potential nature of 5G
adoption and impact based on the literature, evidence captured in this study
and our own analysis.
7.1 5G adoption and impact scenarios

We present results for two adoption and impact scenarios:
• an optimistic view of 5G would treat it as a general-purpose technology

(GPT) that could be adopted very pervasively across a wide range of
economic activities, like the internet is currently;
• a more nuanced view would be to look at advanced digital technologies

(ADT) including IoT, cloud services and 'big data', for which adoption
statistics are available at UK and EU level.
For each of these scenarios we have developed addressable market and GVA
uplift assumptions. The addressable market assumptions are based
on analysis of adoption trends for internet and advanced technologies at
different degrees of maturity. These scenarios are described in Table 7.1
below:
Table 7-1: Addressable market scenarios
Long-term 5G adoption - Adoption scale asymptote

Scenarios technology reference (2035)
Scenario 1: Similar to the adoption of 70% of all firms, with most

5G as a ubiquitous / General mobile internet by firms for non-adopter firms likely to be
Purpose technology business purposes micro/small enterprises.
Scenario 2: 5G follows IoT and Cloud 60-75% of medium to large

5G as an advanced digital adoption trends firms (50+ employees)
technology 30-35% for smaller firms (10+
employees). Adoption varies
across consumer groups.
Alongside the assumptions of addressable market, GVA uplift assumptions

have been developed for each of the GPT and ADT scenarios. The GVA uplift
scenarios were informed by a focussed review of evidence relating to 5G,
incremental improvements in mobile internet (or related technologies) and
general purpose technology. Due to sensitivity in the scoped evidence (and
incomplete information regarding underpinning assumptions), a degree of
judgement was necessary to determine the adopted GVA uplift assumptions.
For the GPT scenario, GSMA (2018) paper’s assessment of a maximum

potential uplift of economic growth stemming from 5G (0.28 pp) was used as
an impact ceiling in the model. This finding was also echoed by other
literature. CIE (2014) estimated ex-post that the productivity impacts of mobile
broadband sector as a whole was 0.28 pp. Lastly, the median impact across
the collated range of GPT studies roughly equalled 0.28 pp (but is very
sensitive to the selection and organisation of study findings).
For the advanced digital technology scenario, we drew on existing studies
which include high/low impact estimates of 5G (or of related technology). This
includes Productivity Commission (2004) and, notably, Australian Government
(2018) which indicates that the GVA uplift from a more incremental type of
improvement in mobile technology is around four times lower than in the GPT
scenario (although we adopt different assumptions about GVA uplift intensity
and timing). The median findings of papers which estimate impacts of
incremental changes in mobile technology were also used to inform the
estimate. The median growth uplift of incremental technological change was
also found to be around 4-times lower than that of GPT. Hence, for this
scenario we set the maximum GVA uplift to 0.07pp.
7.2 Market barrier assumptions

As explained in the previous chapter, the 5G adoption curves in our model can
be varied across different demand-side market barrier assumptions. Demand-
side barriers could have an impact on both the timing (i.e. a delay in adoption
starting) and rate of adoption (i.e. a slower adoption over time). We model
impacts under each of the two adoption and impact scenarios for two separate
sets of market barrier assumptions:
1. Central case: For each consumer group we have assessed the extent
to which market barriers are expected to impact 5G adoption over the
modelling period. From this assessment, which draws on evidence
from literature and evidence gathered during this study, the delay to
adoption and rate of adoption ratings have been set by Analysys
Mason.
2. Low case: In this case all barriers that could be addressed through
proactive Government policies 36 are addressed, barring those we
expect to be largely dependent on market choices, i.e. ‘Cultural
resistance to change’ and ‘Existing technologies are seen as
sufficient’. Additionally, we have included the impact of a barrier which
may be partially addressed through the market and partially addressed
through government initiatives, i.e. ‘Ecosystem not ready’.
These projections have been calibrated by referencing ‘digital readiness

assessment’ outputs (see Figure 4-6). Relative timeline of adoption for various
consumer groups was sense-checked as well as the timeliness of adoption
forecasts at a 5G application level. For example:
36
It is noted that proactive industrial policies might also address some of the barriers cited e.g. by
proactively addressing the lack of understanding over 5G benefits.
• Earlier adoption of 5G is driven by eMBB supported use cases, (e.g.

FWA and MBB for homes and offices, AR/VR) and further enabled
through edge-cloud capabilities
• Emerging adoption is expected to be driven initially by use of 5G for
IoT use cases as well as automation/ robotics thereafter
• Lagging adoption is expected for those consumer groups and use
cases dependent on advanced technology adoption or affected by
supply-side barriers such as coverage
7.3 Comparing results across scenarios

The results discussed in the following chapter are based on, in effect, the
impacts of 5G adoption under four scenarios: two scenarios of potential
adoption and impact each modelled with two sets of market barrier
assumptions.
The model results under the central market barriers case are presented as our
headline projections of 5G impact in the GPT and ADT scenarios, because
these results represent our assessment of the likely impact of market barriers
on each consumer group. Modelling the GPT and ADT scenario under low
market barrier assumptions is used to estimate the potential value of removing
all demand-side market barriers. This demonstrates how the model can be
used to assess the potential value of removing market barriers under different
adoption scenarios. Table 7-2. below illustrates how the model is used to
project the impact of removing market barriers:
Table 7-2.: Model scenarios
5G as a GPT 5G as an advanced digital

technology
Central market barriers Scenario 1 Scenario 3

assumption
Low market barriers Scenario 2 Scenario 4

assumption
Value of removing market Scenario 2 - Scenario 1 Scenario 4 - Scenario 3
barriers
While this report focuses on the potential gains from removing all demand-side
market barriers, policymakers working on solving specific market barriers will
be also be interested to model the marginal impact of removing such market
barriers while holding all other market barriers constant. It is hence important
to note that the model can be used to do this, both to model UK-wide impacts
and to model impacts within a given consumer group.
8 Analysis of scenario results
8.1 General introduction

What determines As a general rule, the modelling of economic impacts considered (and can be
economic explained by) the following dynamics and scenario features:
impacts in the
1 Core uplift – The nature of change that will be induced by 5G in the
5G model?
next 15 years is not fully understood and a range of hypotheses are
present in the literature. The core impact of 5G varies depending on
whether it is assumed to be a general purpose technology or whether it
is assumed to have more conservative impact potential (e.g. akin to
IoT or cloud computing).
2 Adoption – Adoption determines the extent to which potential
economic impacts are realised. Faster and greater adoption will lead to
greater economic impacts of 5G.
3 Barriers – Presence of market barriers affect adoption and, therefore,
economic impacts. This feature in particular highlights the role of policy
in facilitating the economic benefits of 5G.
4 Addressable market – The proportion of the total market which can
realistically be addressed by 5G will determine its economic impacts.
This is of particular interest when contrasting impacts across consumer
groups.
5 Baseline size of consumer groups – Some defined consumer groups
are very large in size, because they capture a large range of economic
activities and/or the UK economy has specialised in the sectors they
correspond to (e.g. finance and professional services). Larger sectors
have a greater impact in levels terms all other things equal, because of
their relative importance to the UK economy.
In the discussion of consumer-group impacts, we also consider the impact of
introducing digital intensity to model variation in marginal impact of 5G
adoption between consumer groups:
6 Digital intensity – Some defined consumer groups have a greater
digital element to their economic activity. A large share of their
investment may be made into digital-related capital, or a large share of
goods and services necessary to support their activities may be
demanded from digital-related sectors. In some scenarios, this is taken
into account and therefore affects the relative impacts across
consumer groups.
For sub-national impacts, three further variables influence the model results:
7 Public network roll-out – We model 5G roll-out as starting in high
population density area and gradually reaching lower population
density areas.
8 Regional composition of consumer groups 37 – The types of

consumer groups which exist in different UK geographies will affect the
distribution of impacts across the UK.
9 Spatial firm demographics – The firm demographics (i.e. composition
of large and small firms) across UK geographies will affect the
distribution of impacts across the UK.
UK baseline assessment
As a part of the modelling exercise, a baseline forecast for the UK economy
was required. This was principally 38 derived from Cambridge Econometrics’
Multisectoral Dynamic Model of the UK economy 39. This is shown in Figure
8-1.
The overall growth rate of the UK economy in the baseline is 1.9% pa over
2020-2035. Across consumer groups, it can be seen that Smart Urban and
Public Services are the largest in GVA terms in the model baseline.
Figure 8-1: Model baseline (UK GVA by consumer group)
Sources: Cambridge Econometrics calculations, Analysys Mason Calculations, MDM-E3

econometric model, ONS Supply and Use Tables.
8.2 Economic impacts

This section presents the aggregate model results for the UK as a whole,
across all sectors and geographies. This provides a high-level assessment for
the potential benefits 5G could bring to the UK economy.
3737
38
A fuller description of the process to estimate the baseline provided in the model description note..
39
https://www.camecon.com/how/mdm-e3-model/
5G technology is In the general-purpose technology scenario, where adoption is widespread

projected to across consumer groups and firm sizes, the cumulative economic impact of
generate £41bn - 5G adoption over 2021-35 under the central market barriers case is projected
£159bn in GVA at £159bn, reaching an annual GVA benefit of £37bn in 2035. In the advanced
over 2021-35 digital technology scenario, GVA benefits are smaller (£40.7bn cumulative
over 2021-35; £9.3bn in 2035), reflecting the more conservative scenario
assumptions (see Chapter 4). The trends in annual GVA impacts across these
two scenarios are shown in Figure 8-2.
When expressed in relative terms, this result implies that UK GVA across all
sectors of the economy is on aggregate 1.6% higher as a result of 5G under
the GPT scenario and 0.4% higher under the ADT scenario.
Figure 8-2. Aggregate GVA impacts of UK-wide 5G adoption (central market barriers
case), 2021-35
40 37.0
35
Annual GVA impact (£bn)
30
25
20
15 11.0
9.3
10
5 2.9
0
2020 2025 2030 2035
General purpose technology Advanced digital technology
Notes: Annual GVA impacts of 5G (£bn) are shown for the general purpose technology (GPT)
and advanced digital technology (ADT) scenario assumptions (central market barrier).
Economic The result above assumes a central case of market barriers to 5G adoption,
benefits could be based on the outputs of the barrier assessment (see standalone Appendix B).
extended by up Under a more optimistic, low barrier scenario, impacts could be much higher.
to £84bn over Over 2021-35, it is projected that 5G benefits could be extended by a further
2021-35 if £84bn under the GPT scenario (£22bn under the ADT scenario) if efforts are
market barriers made to reduce barriers to adoption of 5G, highlighting the importance of
are addressed policy in realising 5G benefits. The annual additional benefits across general
purpose technology and advanced digital technology scenarios are shown in
Figure 8-3.
Figure 8-3. Additional GVA impacts of UK-wide 5G adoption from lower market barriers,
2021-35
14
Additional GVA impact (£2018bn)

12
10
8
6
4
2
0

This section presents the model results broken down by individual consumer
groups. This illustrates the sectoral areas of the UK economy which benefit
the most from 5G (and are most affected by the market barrier conditions
which affect adoption).
5G will have the Figure 8-4 below compares the projected cumulative GVA impacts over 2021-
greatest impact 35 in each consumer group in the GPT and ADT scenarios (the relative
on the Smart impacts of the general purpose technology relative to advanced digital
urban consumer technologies is shown in brackets). The cumulative economic impact of 5G
group in terms of adoption over 2021-35 under the central market barriers case is projected at
£s of GVA £58bn for Smart urban, £39bn for public services and £15bn for
Manufacturing, logistics and distribution, in the General Purpose Technology
scenario. These three sectors have the largest (levels) benefits for two main
reasons:
• Size – The (baseline) industrial composition of the UK economy is such
that Smart urban, Public services and Manufacturing, logistics and
distribution consumer groups are considerably larger than others
(especially Smart urban). Collectively, these three consumer groups make
up more than 2/3 of UK economic activity in GVA terms. A given change in
GVA will therefore create greater levels impacts in these consumer
groups.
• Adoption – Benefits are also higher in the selected consumer groups
because 5G adoption is faster than some other sectors (with the exception
of Media and entertainment and High speed broadband in homes and
offices). In particular, adoption is especially rapid in the Public services
consumer group, adopting almost twice as fast as Retail and hospitality
(slowest adoption). This is largely driven by the kind of applications 5G will
enable and the relevance of these applications to each consumer group’s
activities.
In the advanced digital technology scenario, the size of the impacts are
consistently smaller (as per scenario assumptions) but the extent to which
ADT impacts are lower varies depending on consumer group, ranging from 3.6
times larger (Smart urban) to 8.6 times larger (Retail and hospitality). The
principal reason for this variation across consumer groups relates the
assumed addressable market. The GPT scenario assumes by definition that
the technology is general in nature and the same market share is addressable
in all consumer groups. The ADT scenario is more pessimistic about the
potential addressable market, especially in retail and hospitality and rural
industries.
Figure 8-4. Cumulative GVA impacts of 5G adoption by region and country (central
market barriers case), 2021-35
70
(3.2)
60
50
£2018 billions
(4.5)
40
30
20 (4.5) (8.6) (3.3) (3.2) (4.8)
10 (4.6)
(8.5)
0

5G adoption will Figure 8-5 charts the projected difference in GVA in 2035 from the no-5G
positively impact baseline for UK regions and countries in the GPT and ADT scenarios under
GVA in all the central market barriers case. In the GPT scenario, impacts range from
consumer 2.3% in Media and entertainment to 1.2% in Rural industries, while in the ADT
groups, but to scenario impacts range from 0.7% to 0.1%.
varying extents
Variation between consumer groups impacts is mainly driven by the rate of
(and delays to) adoption. Media and entertainment and High speed broadband
in homes and offices are the fastest consumer groups to adopt 5G (both
counting as “early adopters” in AM report). This is due to eMBB supported use
cases (such as connectivity, UHD, AR/VR) and early adoption of IoT use
based on sensor network use cases.
Slow adoption is also the main reason that Retail and hospitality and Rural
industries have lower proportional impacts (relative to the baseline). In the
case of Retail and hospitality, a key driver of lukewarm adoption is issues in
understanding the business case or return on investment for sensor network
collation. This is further exacerbated by perceived competition with existing
technologies (fibre/4G/Wi-Fi). In the case of rural industries, this is principally
due to supply side issues (i.e. lack of mobile coverage).
For the ADT scenario, impacts are also affected by addressable market
assumptions. Rural industries and Retail and hospitality consumer groups
have especially low addressable market shares (for similar reasons as weak
adoption, described above) and GVA impact are therefore especially
dampened.
Figure 8-5. Impact of 5G adoption on GVA in 2035 by region and country (% difference
from baseline), central market barrier case
General purpose technology

2.5
% difference from basleine
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Advanced digital technology

0.8
% difference from basleine
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Three consumer The consumer group results thus far have only considered the impacts
groups emerge associated with a central scenario for market barriers. When additional
as having the benefits associated with lowering market barriers are considered, three
most to gain from consumer groups emerge as having the most to gain from the removal of
the removal of market barriers:
market barriers
• Manufacturing logistics and distribution – Feasible reductions in
barriers are fairly even across 5G applications, however a reduction in
remote object/machine manipulation is of particular importance given the
relative importance this has to the consumer group’s activities and the
extent to which this 5G application is delayed by market barriers.

• Smart urban – Also attributed to a range of 5G applications. Of particular

interest are market barrier reductions for sensor networks, because this
application is particularly relevant to Smart urban activities.
• Rural industries – Market barriers create especially large delays for
remote object/machine manipulation and smart tracking 5G applications.
From a policy perspective, these are the consumer groups whose benefits
depend most on action taken to reduce market barriers to 5G adoption. For
example, the manufacturing consumer group has the potential to have one of
the most rapid adoption pathways and, under the right conditions, could
experience a 2.4% boost to GVA relative to the baseline in 2035. However, if
market barriers are not addressed then adoption will be delayed and benefits
will be considerably smaller.
Media and entertainment has the same GVA impact trajectory both in the
central scenario and in the scenario with lower market barriers. This is
because in the central case there are already no market barriers dampening
or delating adoption (see Chapter 5 on market barrier assessments). Another
implication of this is that there are no additional benefits of removing market
barriers. Figure 8-6 and Figure 8-7 show how GVA impacts (% difference from
the baseline) is affected by market barriers across all consumer groups.

Figure 8-6. GVA impacts by consumer group relative and barrier scenarios (% difference from baseline, GPT assumption, 2021-35)
Sources: Cambridge Econometrics calculations, Analysys Mason Calculations, MDM-E3 econometric model, ONS Supply and Use Tables.

Figure 8-7. GVA impacts by consumer group relative and barrier scenarios (% difference from baseline, ADT assumption, 2021-35)

69-77% of Figure 8-8 shows the additional GVA levels benefits from lower market
extended barriers over 2021-35 (cumulative). When accounting for differences in
benefits from consumer group size, the potential gains from addressing market barriers in
lowering market Smart urban and Manufacturing logistics and distribution becomes even more
barriers are in notable. Rural industries additional benefits are smaller in levels terms
Smart urban or because of the size of the sector.
Manufacturing
Lowering market barriers to 5G in these two consumer groups alone would
consumer groups
extend cumulative (2021-35) benefits by £58bn under the GPT scenario
(£17bn under ADT). This implies that 69-77% of the benefits of lowering
market barriers are attributable to Smart urban or Manufacturing sector.
Figure 8-8. Additional GVA levels impact over baseline in 2035 from removing 5G market
barriers across consumer groups (difference between low market barrier case and
central market barrier case)
50
45
40
35
£2018 billions
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

To understand what is driving this result, it is helpful to examine both tails of

the results. At the upper tail, Smart urban has a very large impact due to the
combination of very large baseline GVA (highest of all consumer groups) and
also high addressable market share and change in market barriers across
central and barrier assessment scenarios.
At the lower tail, despite having the highest total addressable market (under
ADT), Media and entertainment contributes 0% of the benefits of lowering
market barriers. This is because there no market barriers which can be
feasibly removed from the central estimate. In a similar vein, despite
removable market barriers being very high, Rural industries contributes a
small share of additional benefits because of low addressable market share
and a very low baseline GVA. The ranking of consumer groups across factors
which affect these extended benefits are shown in Table 8-1.

Table 8-1: Ranking of consumer groups across factors which affect extended benefits
Market barrier Baseline size Addressable

change market (only
affects ADT)
Media and entertainment 9th 8th 1st
Public services 8th 2nd 4th
Energy and utilities 4th 7th 6th
Rural industries 1st 9th 8th
Smart urban 3rd 1st 2nd
Transport 6th 6th 7th
Manufacturing, logistics and 2nd 4th 5th

distribution
High speed broadband into 7th 5th 3rd

homes and offices
Retail and hospitality 5th 3rd 9th

Notes: Market barrier change refers to the pp change in adoption rates which are attributable to
differences in market barriers between the central scenario and the barrier assessment
scenario; Baseline size refers to the relative GVA size of the consumer groups under
the baseline; Addressable market refers to the total addressable market share of the
consumer group (under ADT). All numbers refer to the ranking (e.g. Smart urban has
the largest baseline size, Rural industries have the smallest).
Figure 8-9 contains a matrix that indicates based on manipulation of the

intermediate model inputs which barrier reductions are most important for
boosting economic benefits. Specifically, the calculations comprised
multiplication of: (1) 5G feature relevance (by consumer group and feature);
(2) the differences in delay and adoption-rate parameters between central and
low barrier scenarios; and (3) relative economic size.
The findings indicate that removal of the market barriers holding back adoption
of sensor networks and remote object / machine manipulation in the Smart
urban and Manufacturing, logistics and distribution consumer groups could
bring the greatest economic benefit.
The key market barriers holding sensor network adoption back for these
consumer groups are: security concerns; lack of business case /
understanding of return on investment (ROI); lack of understanding of total
cost of ownership (TCO) / concern over ongoing costs/monthly data costs; and
concern over upfront (capital) costs.
Market barriers to remote object / machine manipulation are also important in
realising 5G benefits. In contrast to sensor networks, a key challenge of
remote object / machine manipulation is that the ecosystem is not yet ready or
made available. Adoption of object/machine manipulation is also held back by
a lack of understanding of 5G and the benefits that it offers.

Figure 8-9: Matrix of relative importance (potential market barrier reductions, relevance of 5G features and economic size)
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AR/VR 0.0 1.8 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 6.6 8.8
UHD video 0.0 4.7 0.0 0.0 2.1 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.6 7.7
High-speed broadband 0.0 2.4 0.0 0.2 4.2 1.0 0.0 2.4 0.6 10.9
Sensor networks 0.0 0.0 1.6 0.5 21.0 0.8 3.9 0.0 3.2 31.0
Remote object/machine manipulation 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.3 16.8 0.0 5.1 0.0 0.0 23.3
Robotics 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 5.3 0.0 1.7 0.0 0.0 7.6
Connectivity for 5G drones 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 1.1 0.0 0.0 1.3
Smart tracking 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 1.3 2.5 0.0 0.0 3.9
Connectivity for autonomous/connected vehicles 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.2 0.5 0.8 0.0 0.0 5.6
0.0 8.9 3.5 1.5 53.7 3.8 15.2 2.4 11.1 100.0
Notes: The values reported in the matrix are components of an index (which sums to 100) and do not have any direct interpretation other than indicating the relative economic
significance of barrier reductions across 5G features and consumer groups.

Digital intensity
The results presented thus far estimate economic benefits based on the
adoption trajectories and addressable markets of the respective consumer
groups and the sensitivity of the whole UK economy to 5G (based on collated
evidence).
It is possible to construct an alternative measure of 5G benefits, which
accounts for additional asymmetries in impact potential of consumer groups
based on each consumer group’s relationship with digital technology.
Specifically, this approach characterises each consumer group’s relationship
with existing digital inputs to production and investments, by calculating the
relative importance of digital technologies (in value terms) relative to traditional
inputs to production and investments. The logic behind this approach is that
consumer groups with more intensive use of digital inputs and assets are
more likely to benefit from improvements to telecommunications technology,
such as 5G. Similar approaches have been taken in the literature whereby
economy-wide impacts were disaggregated by sector based on the use of ICT
and communications technologies as inputs to production by each sector.
This measure does not affect the aggregate potential economic impacts from
adoption in our model, but would affect the share of economic benefits
experienced by each consumer group.
Figure 8-10. Illustration of digital intensity
Sources: Cambridge Econometrics illustration

Economic Figure 8-11shows the change in cumulative economic benefits that would be
benefits in High seen in the results if consumer group impacts were weighted by digital
speed intensity. Unsurprisingly, High speed broadband in homes and offices and
broadband in Media and Entertainment both register considerably higher economic benefits
homes and under the alternative measure (+£17bn and +£14bn, respectively under the
offices and GPT scenario). This means that cumulative economic benefits are twice as
Media and high, when weighted by digital intensity.
entertainment
Manufacturing, logistics and distribution and Transport, however, both register
are twice as high
lower impacts under the alternative measure (-£7bn and £4bn, respectively
when weighted
under the GPT scenario). This is due to the importance of traditional
by digital
investments (e.g. premises and machinery) and inputs to production (e.g.
intensity
physical components) to economic activities – implying lower relative
importance of digital investments/inputs to production.
Figure 8-11. Difference in GVA levels impact over baseline from weighting consumer
group impact potential by digital intensity (difference between low market barrier case
and central market barrier case, cumulative, 2021-35)
20
15
£2018 billions
10
-5
-10

These results provide a helpful indication of how differences in marginal

benefits of adoption across consumer groups might affect the projected
impacts of 5G. The results are however based on an imperfect (albeit helpful)
proxy. It is possible, for instance, that some subsectors of the UK economy
which currently rely heavily on traditional inputs to production will benefit
disproportionately from 5G due to fundamental differences between 5G
applications and existing digital technologies.

Sub-national impacts
This section presents the model results for the nine English regions, Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland, together with the impacts in urban and rural
areas, both UK wide and in each region and country. In general, the absolute
magnitudes of the projected impact in each UK geography is largely driven by
the size of the given geography’s economy. Relative impacts (measured in
terms of the % difference from the baseline) are determined by several
factors, most notably sub-national roll-out and the consumer group
composition of each area.
5G adoption will In the general-purpose technology scenario, where adoption is widespread
have the greatest across consumer groups and firm sizes, the cumulative economic impact of
impact on 5G adoption over 2021-35 under the central market barriers case is projected
London in terms at £42bn for London, £23bn for the South East and £15bn for the Northwest.
of £s of GVA In the advanced digital technology scenario, the size of the impacts are
around four times smaller, consistent with the model assumptions and the
wider literature they are based on.
Figure 8-12 below compares the projected cumulative GVA impacts over
2021-35 in each region and country in the GPT and ADT scenarios.
Figure 8-12: Cumulative GVA impacts of 5G adoption by region and country (central market
barriers case), 2021-35
Source: Modelling by Cambridge Econometrics and Analysys Mason.
5G adoption will There is variation in the size of the projected impacts between each region
positively impact and country, but this is not as pronounced as the variation in consumer group
GVA in all UK impacts – indicating that within each region and country there is a sizeable
regions and proportion of firms in consumer groups that could benefit strongly from 5G
countries. adoption. For policymakers, these results emphasise the value of supporting
5G adoption across each of the UK regions, Wales, Scotland and Northern
Ireland.

Figure 8-13 charts the projected difference in GVA in 2035 from the no-5G
baseline for UK regions and countries in the GPT and ADT scenarios under
the central market barriers case. In the GPT scenario, impacts range from
1.64% in London to 1.51% in Northern Ireland, while in the ADT scenario
impacts range from 0.47% in London to 0.35% in Northern Ireland. Variation
between sub-national impacts is driven by variation in adoption, but on the
whole, in both scenarios there is low variance in impact between regions and
countries.
Figure 8-13: Impact of 5G adoption on GVA in 2035 by region and country (% difference from
baseline), central market barrier case

Removing By running the GPT and ADT scenarios under the low case market barrier
market barriers assumptions we can see which regions and countries stand to gain more from
would have the the removal of market barriers. In absolute terms, the gains from removing
largest impact in market barriers are again driven by the sizes of the regions and countries
the largest themselves. This is presented in Figure 8-14 below for the GPT and ADT
regions and scenarios, in which the largest gains from removing market barriers are
countries projected in London (£7-23bn), the South East (£3-12bn) and the North West
(£2-8bn).
Figure 8-14: Cumulative impact of removing market barriers in each region and country in
the GPT and ADT scenarios over 2021-35 (difference between central market barrier case
and low market barrier case)
Each region and On the other hand, each UK region and country has the potential to realize
country can similar GVA gains from removing market barriers relative to the sizes of the
realize similar regions’ economies. Figure 8-15 below compares the relative gains from
relative gains removing market barriers in each region and country, measured as additional
from the removal percentage point GVA impact over baseline in 2035. However, regions and
of market countries with higher projected relative impacts in the central case still have
barriers slightly more to gain in the low market barriers case. For example, London, the
region or country with the highest projected impact in the central case also has
the most to gain from the removal of market barriers (0.18-0.59pp), while
Northern Ireland, the region or country with the lowest projected impact in the
central case, also has the least to gain from the removal of market barriers
(0.10-0.47pp).

Figure 8-15: Additional percentage point GVA impact over baseline in 2035 from
removing 5G market barriers in each region and country (difference between low market
barrier case and central market barrier case)
In levels terms, Turning to urban and rural impacts, Figure 8-16 plots the projected annual
the impact on GVA impact of 5G adoption on the UK’s urban areas and rural areas. Again,
urban areas will these impacts are mainly driven by the size of the respective economies in
be greater than urban and rural areas, and hence the projected urban impacts are markedly
rural areas larger, with a cumulative impact of £139.8bn over 2021-35 in urban areas
compared to £19.7bn in rural areas in the GPT scenario and £36.2bn in urban
areas compared to £4.5bn in rural areas in the ADT scenario.

Figure 8-16: Projected annual GVA impacts of 5G adoption in UK-wide urban and
rural areas in the GPT and APT scenarios, central market barrier case
Greater urban In addition to the size of urban economies, projected greater impacts in urban
impacts are areas are also driven by faster roll-out in these areas, which leads to faster
partly driven by adoption in urban areas. Figure 8-17 plots the projected % GVA impact over
faster 5G roll-out the baseline in each year across all rural and urban areas in the UK in the
and adoption in GPT and ADT scenarios. Impacts in rural areas are relatively smaller because
urban areas roll-out, and hence adoption, does not pick up in rural areas until 2025 – this is
visible on the figure below in which impacts in rural areas are negligible before
2025.
The gap between Another interesting finding shown in Figure 8-17 is that the gap between urban
urban and rural and rural impacts is relatively smaller in the GTP scenario. In the GPT
impacts is scenario, the relative GVA impact of 5G adoption in 2035 is around 7% for
relatively smaller urban areas than rural areas, while in the ADT scenario this figure stands at
in the GPT 21%. This reflects the fact that in the ADT scenario, the consumer groups with
scenario greater adoption are more concentrated in urban areas, while in the GPT
scenario adoption is widespread across all consumer groups, and hence more
equal in urban and rural areas.

Figure 8-17: Percentage GVA difference from baseline in UK-wide rural and urban
areas over 2021-35, central market barrier case
Relative urban Relative urban impacts within regions are also generally larger than rural
impacts are impacts, though only by a small margin. Figure 8-18 shows the projected
slightly larger impacts in the urban and rural parts of each region, measured by difference
than rural from baseline GVA in 2035. Except for London, the differences between rural
impacts in all and urban impacts between each region are very similar, indicating similar
regions levels of adoption in rural areas and urban areas between regions. The
difference between impacts in rural and urban London stems from the
composition of consumer groups in rural London, in particular relatively high
importance of Public services in the local economy. However, it should be
noted that rural London is a very small region.

Figure 8-18: Impact of 5G adoption on GVA (% difference from baseline) in 2035 in rural
and urban areas, central market barrier case
Urban areas Figure 8-19 shows the projected impact of removing market barriers in 2035
have more to on rural and urban areas within regions, calculated by subtracting impacts
gain from under the central market barrier case from impacts under the low market
removing market barrier case. The main finding is that urban areas have more to gain than rural
barriers than areas from the removal of market barriers, though in most cases the additional
rural areas gain is only around one percentage point. This follows from the fact that
adoption is low in rural areas in the earlier years under both sets of market
barrier assumptions, meaning that rural areas are unable to capitalise on
lower market barriers in these years. It is worth noting that if roll-out was sped
up in rural areas, thus addressing a supply-side market barrier (this model
only considers demand-side barriers), the gap would close somewhat between
potential gains from removing demand-side barriers in urban and rural areas.

In the ADT In the ADT scenario, adoption is modelled as lower in smaller businesses and
scenario, rural in some consumer groups (including rural industries) compared to the GPT
areas have scenario, in which adoption is widespread across firm sizes and consumer
markedly less to groups. The model results show that under this scenario, the potential GVA
gain from gains for rural from removing market barriers are relatively low in the ADT
removal of scenario, at around 25-40% of the GVA gains in urban areas in 2035
market barriers compared to 10-18% in the GPT scenario 40.
Figure 8-19: Additional percentage point GVA impact over baseline in 2035 from removing 5G
market barriers in within-region/country rural and urban areas (difference between low market
barrier case and central market barrier case)
40
This excludes London, which has a very small rural area and for which rural results should be treated as
an outlier.

There is limited Given that private networks are a new feature of mobile networks and that
evidence around very few firms have adopted private networks (or 5G in general) at the time of
the future extent writing, there is great uncertainty around the extent to which private networks
and profile of will be adopted and the types of firms which will use private networks. The
private network impact model includes the option for the model user to explore the potential
use impacts of private network adoption by different consumer groups on the
regional GVA, but it is important to stress that we are not forecasting private
network adoption in this report.
Private network Nonetheless, it is still interesting to consider the potential impacts of private
adoption could network adoption based on the current profile of private network adoption in
have greater the UK. Figure 8-20 below projects relative impacts of private network
impacts in rural adoption on UK regions and countries, based on the assumption that only the
areas largest firms in the manufacturing, logistics and distribution consumer group
and the energy and utilities consumer group will use private networks (and
only 5% of adoption in these consumer groups will use private networks).
While the impacts are very small (directly because adoption is assumed to be
small), the model results are interesting in that rural areas are projected to see
greater private network adoption and impacts than urban areas. This reflects a
relatively high concentration in rural areas of firms in the manufacturing,
logistics and distribution consumer group and the energy and utilities
consumer group.

Figure 8-20: Projected impact of 5G adoption using private networks on region/country

GVA (% difference from baseline) in 2035 in rural and urban areas, central market barrier
case
8.3 Environmental impacts

This section present projections of environmental impacts from the model in
terms of avoided CO2 emissions and monetised using BEIS carbon price
projections. Note that our approach to modelling each type of impact was
shaped by the available evidence, and as such we have had to use separate
methodologies from the economic impact estimates. This means that the
monetised social and environmental impact estimates should not be added to
the economic impact estimates.
The estimated impacts measure the impacts in terms of avoided emissions
attributable to 5G-enabled features of certain mobile technology use cases.
These estimates concern only the incremental emissions savings over the
emissions savings offered by the present-day mobile technologies. Before
discussing the results, it is worth noting that the environmental impacts may
be greater if new 5G use cases emerge in future with the ability to facilitate
further emissions savings. The projections in this model are based on current
use cases for mobile network technology which are hence most likely a sub-
set of the future use cases through which 5G could lead to lower emissions.
This means that the GPT scenario projections should be viewed as lower
bounds; 5G as a GPT technology would have a much wider set of use cases
than 4G, but we do not yet have empirical data on the potential for these use
cases to lower emissions.
Up to 184 million The model results show increasing annual emissions savings from 5G
tonnes of CO2 adoption over 2021-35. In the most ambitious scenario, where 5G is modelled
could be saved as a GPT technology, annual avoided emissions reaches around 27 million
due to 5G tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (mtCO2e) by 2035, and cumulative
adoption over avoided emisisons over 2021-35 equal around 184mtCO2e. The path of these
2021-35 emissions savings is projected to follow the path of adoption, with annual
emissions savings growing each year as adoption increases.
Figure 8-21 shows the projected avoided emissions in the GPT and ADT
scenarios, together with their estimated monetary value. The GPT impacts are
markedly larger in the ADT case, driven by wider adoption of the modelled use
cases, though as noted above we would expect the gap between the two
scenarios to be even larger after accounting for future GPT use cases for 5G
(for which data is currently unavailable).

Figure 8-21: Projected annual avoided emissions from 5G adoption over 2021-35 in
the GPT and ADT scenarios, central market barriers case
Avoided The projected emissions savings for each consumer group 41, together with
emissions are monetised value of these savings, are presented in Figure 8-22 below for the
greatest in modelled scenarios. The greatest emissions savings are projected to result
consumer groups from 5G adoption of use cases in the transport, high speed broadband into
for which 5G offices and homes and retail and hospitality consumer groups. This is because
improves many of the modelled use cases classified within these consumer groups lead
transport to improved transport efficiency or reduced travel (and hence lower transport
efficiency or vehicle emissions). These types of use cases were found to bring particularly
reduces travel high enabled emissions savings in (GSMA 2018). Examples of such use
cases include smart logistics and traffic congestion management (transport
consumer group), smart working use cases (high speed broadband into offices
and home consumer group), and mobile shopping applications (retail and
hospitality consumer group).
41
Note that we have not estimated environmental benefits for the media and entertainment consumer group
as none of the avoided emissions factors from (GSMA 2018) correspond to the media and entertainment
use cases.

Figure 8-22: Projected cumulative avoided emissions from 5G adoption over 2021-35
in each consumer group, central market barriers case
Potential After running the model with low market barrier assumptions, the results
emissions indicate that total cumulative emissions savings over 2021-35 would increase
savings from by around 18% if market barriers were removed. However, the potential
removing market savings are much larger for some consumer groups than others. Consumer
barriers are groups for which business use cases were modelled are projected to realise
highest in rural relatively higher emissions savings as a result of removing market barriers,
industries, with the highest potential savings in rural industries (73%), manufacturing,
manufacturing, logistics and distribution (41%), smart urban (33%) and energy and utilities
logistics and (32%). In these consumer groups, emissions saving 5G use cases are mainly
distribution, business use cases whereas in the other consumer groups, the modelled use
smart urban and cases are largely 5G consumer smartphone applications, which have been
energy and modelled as having lower market barriers in the central case.
utilities
Figure 8-23 below shows the percentage increase in cumulative emissions
savings in each consumer group and in total from removing market barriers.

Figure 8-23: Percentage increase in avoided emissions in each consumer group and in
total from removing market barriers, (calculated by comparing the central market barriers
case to the low market barriers case)

Note: that these percentages do not differ between the GPT and ADT scenarios because
the impact market barriers unchanged between the two scenarios
8.4 Social impacts

Social impacts are estimated as the time savings resulting from consumer IoT
devices with features supported by 5G features that result in time savings for
individuals. These time savings have been converted to monetary values of
time saved using the approach described in Section 6.6 (the social impact
estimates should not be added to the economic impact estimates – see
Section 8.2).
The estimates It is worth noting that the estimated impacts are based on the lower-end
are subject to a parameters obtained from the reviewed literature. Use of higher-end
substantial parameters in model calculations could result in estimates that are over twice
degree of as high. Therefore, a high degree of uncertainty remains over the estimated
uncertainty time savings and their value. At the same time, the remaining social benefits
of 5G which could not have been quantified due to lack of data (health,
wellbeing, quality of life etc.) could also be significant, and their potential value
should be considered when assessing uncertainty of the estimated social
benefits.
Figure 8-24 presents the evolution of annual value of total time saved under
the GPT scenario, for both central and low market barrier scenario cases.
Adoption of 5G-enabled IoT consumer technologies is assumed to follow the
same pattern as adoption of ‘High-speed broadband into homes and offices’.
The projected market penetration is also assumed to be the same as for
businesses under the respective addressable market assumptions for
‘High-speed broadband into homes and offices’ consumer group under the
GPT or the ADT scenario assumptions. Therefore, the gradual increases in

annual value of time saved follow a similar pattern. Annual value of time saved
is projected to reach £0.5bn in 2025 under the central barriers case, or £0.7bn
under the low barriers case.
Under the GPT Due to the increasing adoption of 5G-enabled household and personal IoT
scenario devices, by 2030 the annual value of time saved will reach £1.9bn under the
assumptions, the central barriers case, or £2.1bn under the low market barrier case. In later
annual value of years adoption converges under the central and the low market barrier cases,
time saved is resulting in similar estimated values of time saved reaching, at £2.6bn
projected to annually under both scenarios in 2035.
reach £2.6bn in The annual value of time saved curve has a different shape to that of the
2035 economic benefits curves presented in Figure 8-6. This is because in the
calculation of economic benefits, adoption affects the GVA growth rate each
year, which compounds over the years to produce a difference from the
baseline, and a difference between the Central and the Low barrier scenario
cases. In contrast, calculation of social benefits assumes that adoption
determines the level social benefits in any given year, which are not influenced
by the previous years’ adoption rate.
Figure 8-24: Value of time saved under GPT scenario – Central and Low market barrier
cases.
… while under Analogous results are presented in Figure 8-25 for the ADT scenario, for both
the ADT scenario central and low cases of market barriers. As adoption rate of 5G-enabled IoT
assumptions, the devices by individuals is assessed to be lower than in the GPT scenario, the
annual value of monetary value of time saved is also lower.
time saved is
The annual value of time saved (UK-wide aggregate) in 2020 reaches £0.4bn
projected to
under the central barrier case, and £0.5bn under the low barrier case. In 2030,
reach £2.0bn in
these values increase to £1.4bn and £1.6bn under the central and low barrier
2035
assumptions, respectively. In 2035 the difference between the two barrier
scenarios declines, with annual value of time saved increasing to £2.0bn
under both scenarios.

Figure 8-25: Value of time saved under ADT scenario – Central and Low market barrier
cases.
Cumulatively Comparisons of cumulative impacts over the modelled period (2021-35)

over 2020-35, demonstrate the potential impact of removing market barriers. Under the GPT
removal of scenario assumptions, the cumulative value of social benefits is estimated at
market barriers £19.7bn for the central market barriers case, and at £22.1bn for the low
could result in market barriers case. This means that removal of market barriers could result
time savings in an additional £2.4bn of social benefits under the GPT scenario assumptions
worth £2.5bn over the 2021-35 period.
under the GPT
Under the ADT scenario assumptions, the cumulative value of social benefits
scenario or
is estimated at £14.9bn for the central market barriers case, and at £16.7bn
£1.8bn under the
for the low market barriers case. Therefore, removal of market barriers under
ADT scenario
the ADT scenario assumptions could result in an additional £1.8bn of social
benefits over the 2021-35 period.
8.5 Benchmarking the model results

One way of assessing the uncertainty around the model results and to get a
feel for the plausibility of the results is to benchmark against other studies.
This allows a feel for how conservative or optimistic the model results are
compared to other studies. Table 8-2 below compares the economic impact
estimates from our model to several other studies that have also attempted to
project the impact of 5G on the UK or other economies with similar
characteristics.

Table 8-2: Cross-study comparison of economic impact estimates of 5G
Country Impact of Impact of Impact of Impact of 5G

Study 5G by 2030 5G by 2034 5G by 2035 by 2050
UK Cambridge £2.7bn - £7.6bn - £9.1bn - -

Econometrics and £16.3bn £35.6bn £42.0bn
Analysys Mason (2021)
GSMA (2020) £5.16bn £12.7bn - -
(PwC 2021) £43bn - - -
Scotland Deloitte (2019) - - £17bn £34bn
Australia Australian Government £24.7bn - - £33.5bn -

(2018) £156.2bn
Source: Cited studies and Cambridge Econometrics calculations.
Two insights stand out from inspecting the results in the above table. Firstly,
the projections from our model are relatively conservative compared to the
wider literature. The results from the ADT scenario are markedly lower than
the findings from the other studies, with the results from the GSMA study
closest to the ADT scenario projections, though still almost twice as large. On
the other hand, PwC estimate benefits far greater than the GPT scenario in
our model, while Deloitte and the Australian Government also estimate larger
impacts, after taking into account that they are estimating impacts for smaller
economies than the UK.
This leads us on to the second finding from this benchmarking exercise – the
wide range in the magnitude of the benefits projected by the various studies.
This wide range of magnitudes is indicative of the high levels of uncertainty
around the future impacts of 5G adoption, given the lack of empirical
evidence, and the sensitivity of the estimates to the methodology and
assumptions employed.
It is difficult to pinpoint the reasons behind the variation in magnitude of the
estimates of each of these studies. Regarding the conservativeness of our
estimates compared to some of the other studies, one reason is likely our
focus on quantifying only additional impacts of 5G. We sought to capture
additional in our study by considering historical impacts of previous
technologies for sufficient data were available to empirically estimate
additional impacts. On the other hand, studies that rely on stakeholder inputs
or on estimates of technologies associated with 5G (but not for which 5G is
critical) are less likely to have fully accounted for additionality. However, the
key driver of the wide range of estimates is the lack of empirical data to
ground the model in, meaning that to quantify the impacts assumptions have
to be developed which require a degree of subjective judgement. It is thus
important to bear in mind that much of the value of the model lies in the
relative results (i.e. comparisons between consumer groups, market barriers

and geographies) than the absolute results, which we have tried to bring out in
our discussion of the model results.

9 Conclusions
9.1 5G use cases and consumer groups

The literature At this stage of 5G development, many of the potential use cases have yet to
suggests a reach commercial maturity. Many trials are under way into individual use
diverse range of cases (and clusters of use cases) that individual businesses have identified as
potential 5G use potentially useful or necessary to their businesses and which might be
cases for enabled through 5G. Some early adopters of 5G previously used 4G
individuals, connectivity, and some have and still do use Wi-Fi and other short-range
households and wireless technologies for some of the use cases that 5G will support. Many
businesses. businesses rely on fixed broadband to provide their main business
connectivity. What 5G offers for businesses that have invested in existing
technologies will vary depending on the nature of each business and the
individual requirements that businesses have.
9.2 5G positioning relative to other connectivity technologies

5G will bring It is difficult to generalise the benefits of positioning of 5G over existing
incremental technologies, since the range of potential use cases and sectors of the
benefits over 4G economy that might use 5G are so broad. Evidence from the literature we
have reviewed on the incremental benefits of 5G over 4G typically refers to
aspects such as the amount of data that 5G is able to transfer being
considerably higher, the ability to maintain connections with very low latency,
ability to deliver contextual information in real time (e.g. maps, physical
objects, environments) and the ability to connect many devices, and process
and utilise data from those devices, in real time.
But 5G, together Together with other technological advances such as industrial AR/VR
with other applications, robotics systems and cloud computing taking place in parallel
technological with the evolution of 5G, the 5G migration from 4G will potentially represent a
advances, could more transformative change in mobile connectivity than that from 3G to 4G, for
also have more example. However, significant uncertainties exist still concerning the rate of
transformational adoption, and the scale of the benefits achieved. For this transformational
impacts benefit to be achieved, there is a need for 5G infrastructure and the
associated software and hardware that 5G will integrate with (cloud-based
core networks, AR/VR, robotics and the associated software delivering
machine manipulation, data mining and precision processes, for example) to
be deployed in full, including virtualised, cloud-native 5G core networks, end-
to-end slices and wide geographic coverage and capacity.
Wi-Fi 6 could be Although some degree of momentum exists behind developments of Wi-Fi 6 to
a substitute for increase capacity and functionality of Wi-Fi solutions, the eco-system for Wi-Fi
some, but not all remains one of a low power, short-range wireless solution, suited to specific
5G use cases deployment environments only. It is very likely that, in some environments and
for some use cases, Wi-Fi will remain sufficient to meet the needs of some of
the use cases and consumer groups considered in this study (and there may
be benefits of using Wi-Fi for some uses and environments, for example if
economies of scale make deployment costs favourable when compared to
other options). A key question in the UK and in Europe with regards to Wi-Fi 6
is the extent to which additional spectrum in the upper 6GHz band might be
available for Wi-Fi use. European countries including the UK have agreed to

making the 5945-6425MHz band available for Wi-Fi (including Wi-Fi 6). In the
USA, an additional 700MHz (6425-7125MHz) is being made available on a
licence-exempt basis, suited to Wi-Fi use. A decision on future use of the
6425-7125MHz band in other markets, including Europe, is under study ahead
of the ITU World Radiocommunications Conference, taking place in 2023. 5G
proponents in Europe (including the major 5G equipment vendors) are
favouring this spectrum being used for licensed 5G use.
9.3 Barriers to 5G adoption

Barriers to The study has identified several key barriers to 5G adoption which, if not
adoption include addressed by the market and/or via proactive Government action, might either
cross-market delay or slow adoption of 5G within some or all 5G consumer groups. Macro
barriers and barriers are cross-market barriers cutting across multiple areas/consumer
market-specific groups and 5G applications. These include willingness to pay for 5G services
barriers by individuals and businesses, and lack of awareness concerning suitability of
5G and/or the benefits that 5G will deliver, together with the mobile industry’s
uncertainty over further 5G investment within public networks ahead of
demand being established. Micro barriers include multiple barriers affecting
some or several consumer groups and some 5G applications e.g. eco-system
barriers.
The market face A need for short-term ROI from MNOs investing in step-by-step increments to
a ‘chicken and 5G functionality in public mobile networks potentially creates a supply-side
egg’ issue barrier that will prevent the market developing at the pace that policy makers,
and some potential users, might wish. This ‘chicken and egg’ issue might
resolve in due course e.g. rapid adoption of 5G SA devices by individual
consumers might incentivise further investment in 5G SA features benefitting a
range of consumer groups.
Scaling up 5G A key conclusion is therefore that MNOs and 5G vendors should be
public networks encouraged to work on implementing the latest 5G features and scaling up UK
could incentivise 5G networks to deploy these features, such that nationwide networks will, in
earlier adoption time, address the full range of use cases that 5G technology will support. This
scaling up of 5G public networks to cater for the full range of use cases (via
5G standalone networks with slicing) might help to reduce risk to early
adopters wishing to utilise these nascent 5G features.
Some users face It is evident from literature and from evidence gathered during this study that
a skills challenge there is substantial momentum in the 5G ecosystem. There is also significant
with regard to 5G awareness in the market on what 5G ‘could’ deliver. However, behind the 5G
implementation vision is a complex range of implementation issues, and some 5G users at
least (especially smaller businesses) are challenged by not having the internal
capability and skills needed to set up and integrate 5G connectivity into
existing business systems. This skills challenge is especially relevant given
the early stage of 5G implementation, given that systems are far from being
commoditised (and may never be). Businesses whose core activity is not
telecommunications may also not be well placed to drive the broader 5G
features and evolution agenda (e.g. they do not participate in 3GPP or other
5G industry forum). Thus, there is a key role (and cost therein) for 5G
solutions experts (be those the large 5G vendors, system integrators or large
IT firms) to provide professional support services to smaller firms in particular
with respect to 5G implementation, maintaining solutions, together with scaling
up and evolving these systems as new features emerge. However, a key risk
is that this ‘service support’ cost can be sizeable (representing a tangible

barrier to adoption for smaller firms).
One positive implication of the momentum that exists behind the 5G
ecosystem is that substantial investment continues to be made by the large
equipment vendors into optimising and enhancing 5G solutions. The 5G eco-
system might also emerge to be more dynamic and flexible, compared to
previous generations of mobile technology, due to the parallel developments
into open software solutions and cloud-based architecture. Thus, the
opportunity exists for smaller scale innovators to play a bigger role in the 5G
ecosystem compared to previous generations of wireless technology.
9.4 The role of private 5G networks

Private networks What is also evident from the study is that the role of private 5G networks
are currently appears to be important in the market place in the short term, at least to
important to the demonstrate proof of concept of 5G being capable of addressing specific
market, but could business needs, albeit in a mode of deployment that is contained within the
cause premises of individual businesses. This creates a risk of fragmentation, if the
fragmented various deployment options for 5G (NSA, SA, public, private) do not converge
demand across to enable seamless operation across devices and domains, and across the
the UK UK. There is a specific risk that private 5G deployment might result in
fragmented demand for industrial applications across the UK (e.g. if some
industries can access 5G services where others cannot), which risks slow
investment by MNOs to add further capabilities if demand is not evident at
scale.
Funded trials and Finally, as 5G gains momentum both in private and public network
test-bed activities deployments, another conclusion from the study is that funded trials and test-
will remain bed activities will remain relevant and useful to raise the awareness on 5G
relevant and implementation and lower the barriers to deployment.
useful
9.5 Barriers that the market will address
Some barriers We can expect that some of the barriers that this report discusses will be
will be addressed addressed by the market as the 5G market evolves (e.g. achieving further roll-
by the market out of the latest 3GPP 5G features).
The two key demand-side barriers which we expect will be addressed by the
market include ‘cultural resistance to change’ and ‘existing technologies are
seen as sufficient’. As such as the momentum surrounding the 5G ecosystem
continues to develop we expect these will be naturally addressed by the
market overtime.
Whilst some barriers will be addressed as the 5G market evolves, there are
several key barriers which the market might be slow to address, or which the
market may not address at all absent of targeted Government policy. These
are discussed in the following section.
9.6 Economic impact modelling

A key aim of this study was to identify the economic benefits which could be
experienced as a result of adoption of 5G technologies. This was done by
drawing on the wider economic evidence base on 5G impacts, economic
projections from CE’s MDM-E3 macroeconomic model, and various internal
findings from other workstreams in this project (principally relating to adoption,
barriers and total addressable markets). It important to again note that there is
considerable uncertainty around the model results, which is the case for any
forward-looking projection, but is especially true here due to the shortage of
empirical evidence on 5G.
Cumulative total Key findings relating to economic benefits of 5G are summarised in Table 9-1.
benefits were Depending on the technology assumptions (GPT or ADT), the total benefits
£41bn-£159bn were found to be £41bn-£159bn cumulatively over 2021-35.
The ‘Smart Due to the pace of adoption coupled with the economic size of these
urban’ consumer consumer groups, Smart urban, Public services and Manufacturing, logistics
group had and distribution have the largest cumulative benefits in levels terms under the
registered the GPT scenario (£58bn, £39bn and £15bn respectively). However, in
largest economic proportional terms (i.e. % difference from baseline) High speed broadband to
benefit homes and offices and Media and entertainment experience the largest
impacts in proportional terms, because they are the most rapid adopters of
5G.
The ranking of impacts changes between GPT and ADT scenarios principally
because of fundamental assumptions about the total addressable market. By
definition, 5G is assumed to be “general purpose” under the GPT scenario and
the share of the market which is addressable is proportionately the same
across consumer groups. In contrast, there is greater variation in the
addressable market share across consumer groups in the ADT scenario, with
Rural industries, Retail and hospitality and Manufacturing, logistics and
distribution having appreciably lower GVA impacts as a result.
Table 9-1 – Central economic benefits (£2018bn, cumulative, 2021-35)
General Advanced
purpose digital
technology technology
Total 159.4 40.7
Smart urban 57.9 17.9
Public services 39.1 8.7
Manufacturing, logistics and distribution 14.8 3.3
Retail and hospitality 12.6 1.5
High speed broadband into homes and offices 12.4 3.7
Media and entertainment 9.8 3.0
Transport 7.0 1.4
Energy and utilities 4.8 1.0
Rural industries 1.1 0.1
Economic The study also found that economic benefits could be extended by a further
benefits could be £22bn-£84bn over 2021-35 if market barriers are addressed, therein
£22bn-£84bn highlighting the role of policy in fully realising 5G benefits. The additional
higher if market benefits from a reduction in market barriers is shown in Table 9-2.
barriers are
Based on assessments of market barriers across scenarios, Smart urban and
addressed
Manufacturing, logistics and distribution stand to gain the most from lowering

market barriers (£17bn-£58bn additional economic benefits would be realised

from reducing 5G market barriers in these two consumer groups).
Table 9-2 – Additional benefits from a reduction of market barriers (£2018bn, cumulative,
2021-35)
General Advanced
purpose digital
technology technology
Total +83.7 +21.6
Smart urban +45.6 +14.0
Manufacturing, logistics and distribution +12.5 +2.8
Retail and hospitality +8.2 +0.9
Public services +8.0 +1.8
Transport +3.1 +0.6
High speed broadband into homes and offices +2.5 +0.7
Energy and utilities +2.4 +0.5
Rural industries +1.5 +0.2
Media and entertainment +0.0 +0.0
Digital intensity The study extended the analysis by considering how the share of benefits
can provide attributed to each consumer group might vary depending on digital intensity.
further insights This line of analysis provided insight into how each consumer group’s
on the relationship with digital technology may affect impact potential of 5G.
distribution of
High speed broadband in homes and offices and Media and Entertainment
benefits
both register considerably higher economic benefits under this alternative
measure (+£17bn and +£14bn, respectively under the GPT scenario).
Manufacturing, logistics and distribution and Transport, however, both register
lower impacts under the alternative measure (-£7bn and £4bn, respectively
under the GPT scenario).
5G adoption will This is indicative of the breadth of 5G use cases across consumer groups.
positively impact The largest impacts are estimated in London (£42bn in the GPT scenario and
GVA in all UK £12bn in the ADT scenario), the South East (£23bn in the GPT scenario and
regions and £5bn in the ADT scenario) and the South West (£15bn in the GPT scenario
countries and £4bn in the ADT scenario), though this is mainly driven by the size of
these regions. Likewise, the largest regions would realize the largest benefits
from removing barriers to adoption.
There is variation While some regions have more to gain than others from removing market
in impacts barriers, all regions could experience significant gains. Measured as change in
between regions % difference from the economic baseline, the impacts range from 0.59pp
and countries in (London) to 0.47pp (Northern Ireland) in the GPT scenario and 0.18pp
relative terms (London) to 0.10pp (Northern Ireland) in the ADT scenario by 2035.

The main driver Urban areas within-each region and country are expected to benefit more
of variation in strongly from 5G because it will be rolled out there first. GVA gains in urban
relative sub- areas are projected to range from 0.59pp (London) to 0.51pp (Northern
national impacts Ireland) in the GPT scenario and from 0.18pp (London) to 0.12pp (Northern
is the roll-out of Ireland) in the ADT scenario.
5G.
In the ADT However, rural areas are still expected to benefit strongly from 5G adoption in
scenario, the GPT scenario, where adoption is widespread across consumer groups. In
impacts are the ADT scenario, impacts are markedly lower in rural areas, as a result of
markedly lower lower adoption in smaller businesses and in some consumer groups (including
in rural areas rural industries) which account for a relative high share of economic activity in
rural areas. Therefore, while rural impacts are lower than urban impacts, the
results indicate that 5G adoption will be important to rural economies in the
GPT scenario where 5G use cases are broader than for previous mobile
technologies.
Hence, impacts GVA gains in rural areas in 2035 are projected to be around 10-18% lower in
of removing the GPT scenario and 25-40% lower in the ADT scenario (with the exception
barriers are of London).
lower in rural
areas
Private networks The model results indicate that private networks may be particularly important
may be to rural areas. This result is driven by two factors: the slower roll-out of public
particularly networks stimulating demand for private networks as an alternative; and rural
important for areas having a relatively high share of firms in consumer groups, which favour
rural areas the specific use cases for which private networks offer an advantage. Private
network adoption was modelled as exclusive to Manufacturing, logistics and
distribution and energy and utilities best on our mapping of the use cases best
supported by private networks discussed in Section 3.2 to the consumer
groups, together with an analysis of the firms that have set up private
networks in the UK to date, which largely fall within these two consumer
groups.
9.7 Environmental impact modelling

We modelled The way in which 5G use leads to emissions savings depends on the types of
avoided use case:
emissions
• IoT machine to machine use cases such as those in buildings,
brought about by
transport, manufacturing, and the energy sector, will enable emissions
IoT machine to
savings through improved efficiency.
machine use
cases and • In addition, smartphone 5G use cases will enable emissions savings
smartphone use through behavioural changes (e.g. more online shopping, use of
cases. transport apps increased public transport use, etc,).

The GPT The projections in this model are based on current use cases for mobile
scenario network technology which are hence most likely a sub-set of the future use
projections cases through which 5G could lead to lower emissions. 5G as a GPT
should be viewed technology would have a much wider set of use cases than 4G, but we do not
as a lower bound yet have empirical data on the potential for these use cases to lower
emissions.
Up to 184 million Up to 184 million tonnes of CO2 could be saved due to 5G adoption over
tonnes of CO2 2021-35 according to the GPT scenario results. This emissions saving is
could be saved around 30% greater than in the ADT scenario, though as noted above, the
due to 5G emissions savings from a GPT scenario could be far greater depending on the
adoption over avoided emissions factors of the use cases that emerge in this scenario.
2021-35
Avoided Both the findings from our literature review of environmental benefits of 5G
emissions are and the results from the modelling indicate that the greatest environmental
greatest in benefits relate to use cases which improve transport efficiency or reduce
consumer groups travel. Examples of such use cases include smart logistics and traffic
for which 5G congestion management (transport consumer group), smart working use
improves cases (high speed broadband into offices and home consumer group), and
transport mobile shopping applications (retail and hospitality consumer group).
efficiency or
reduces travel
Removing Consumer groups for which business use cases were modelled are projected
barriers would to realise relatively higher emissions savings as a result of removing market
have larger barriers, with the highest potential savings in rural industries (73%),
impacts in Rural manufacturing, logistics and distribution (41%), smart urban (33%) and energy
industries, and utilities (32%). In these consumer groups, emissions saving 5G use cases
Manufacturing, are mainly business use cases whereas in the other consumer groups, the
logistics and modelled use cases are largely 5G consumer smartphone applications, which
distribution, have been modelled as having lower market barriers in the central case.
Smart urban and
Energy and
utilities
9.8 Social impact modelling

We modelled The literature review found multiple channels through which 5G will bring
time savings social benefits, such as improvements in public safety, improved healthcare
enabled by 5G and time savings. However, limited evidence exists on the potential magnitude
of the majority of these benefits. Therefore, modelling undertaken in this study
was limited to estimating the value of time saved on housework and family
care by individuals. The evidence suggests that 5G-enabled features of
personal and household IoT devices will result in greater efficiency when
doing housework and family care, leading to time savings.
Removal of 5G The model estimates (Table 9-3) show that under the General-purpose
market barriers technology scenario assumptions, the cumulative value of time saved between
could result in up 2020 and 2035 will reach £19.7bn in the central market barrier case, and
to £2.4bn of £22.1bn in the low market barrier case. This means that under the GPT
additional social scenario removing the barriers to adoption of 5G could potentially unlock
benefits £2.4bn of additional benefits to individuals.

In the advanced digital technology scenario, the cumulative value of social

benefits is estimated at £14.9bn in the Central market barrier case, and at
£16.7bn in the Low market barrier case. Therefore, under the ADT scenario,
removal of barriers to 5G adoption could result in £1.8bn of additional social
benefits to individuals.
Table 9-3 Cumulative value of social benefits (£bn, 2021-35)

(GPT) scenario (ADT) scenario
Central market 19.7 14.9
barrier case
Low market 22.1 16.7
barrier case
These estimates These estimates are subject to large uncertainty and are particularly sensitive
are sensitive to to the assumed additionality of 5G-enabled features of personal and
the choice of 5G household IoT devices. The study relies on a lower-end estimate of 5G
additionality additionality from the literature (attributing only 5% of the potential savings
assumption from personal and household 5G-enabled IoT devices to 5G-enabled
features). Future research could seek to establish validity of such
assumptions, for example by surveying consumers on the value of specific
5G-enabled features of their household and personal devices.
As more Further research should also aim to explore the methods of valuing other
evidence social benefits of 5G, such as improvements in public safety (improved
becomes monitoring) and healthcare (patient monitoring). Currently, the evidence on
available, future such benefits is available from small trials which may not be representative of
research could the potential benefits when 5G is deployed on a wider scale.
estimate the
At the same time, estimates of such benefits also need to address the issue of
social benefits of
identifying the additional value of 5G in these applications. Applications
improved public
relating to public safety or healthcare could potentially be supported (fully or
safety and
with limited features) by existing technologies, such as 4G or Wi-Fi. Therefore,
healthcare
only the additional social benefits enabled by 5G should be identified in these
estimates.

Appendices

Appendix A Acronyms and Glossary
A.1 Acronyms
3GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project
5GTT Testbeds and Trials Programme
AGV Autonomous guided vehicle
AI Artificial intelligence
AR Augmented reality
B2B Business-to-business
B2B2C Business-to-business-to-consumer
B2C Business-to-consumer
BNetzA Bundesnetzagentur
CEPT European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications

Administrations
DCMS Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
eMBB Enhanced mobile broadband
FTIR Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review
FWA Fixed wireless access
IoT Internet of things
LoRa Long range
LPWAN Low-power wide-area network
LTE Long-term evolution
LTE-A LTE-advanced
MBB Mobile broadband
MIMO Multiple-input multiple-output
mMTC Massive machine type communications
MNO Mobile network operator

MR Mixed reality
NB-IoT Narrowband-IoT
NR New radio
NSA Non standalone
OTT Over the top services
PoC Proof of concept
QoS Quality of service
RAN Radio access network
RFDI Radio frequency identification
ROI Return on investment
SA Standalone
SIM Subscriber identity module
SLA Service level agreement
SME Small medium enterprise
TCO Total cost of ownership
UAV Unmanned aerial vehicles
UHD Ultra-high definition
URLLC Ultra-reliable low-latency communication
V2X Vehicle-to-everything
VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol
VR Virtual reality
XR eXtended reality

A.2 Glossary
3G RAN 3rd generation of a radio access network (RAN). (ICF 2020)
4G RAN 4th generation of a radio access network (RAN). (ICF 2020)
5G application Groups of 5G use cases.
5G RAN 5th generation of a radio access network (RAN) (ICF 2020)
Backhaul In telecommunications, ‘backhaul’ refers to a communications link

connecting the base station to the core network which can transmit data
at very fast speeds. Achieving the benefits of 5G will require changes in
how a backhaul layer is built (such as multiplying the capacity). (ICF
2020)
Cloud computing Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services – including

servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics and
intelligence – over the Internet (“the cloud”) (Microsoft Azure 2021).
Edge computing Edge computing enables low latency 5G applications by bringing

computing capabilities closer to the application.
Enhanced mobile Enhanced Mobile Broadband is one of the three primary 5G New Radio
broadband use cases defined by the 3GPP as part of its SMARTER (Study on New
Services and Markets Technology Enablers) project. The other two are
URLLC and mMTC’. Both should be defined herein, although only
URLLC appears in this report. (ICF 2020)
Fixed wireless Fixed wireless is the operation of wireless communication devices or

systems used to connect two fixed locations (e.g., building to building or
tower to building) with a radio or other wireless link, such as a laser
bridge. (ICF 2020)
Latency Latency, in technical terms, is a time interval between the cause and
the effect of some physical change in the system being observed. 5G is
designed significantly to reduce network communication delays
(latency). Latency has held back technologies that are otherwise
technologically ready for 5G. (ICF 2020)
Machine to machine A broad label that can be used to describe any technology that enables
communication networked devices to exchange information and perform actions without
the manual assistance of humans (ICF 2020)
mmWave Millimetre wave (millimetre band) (also known as ‘extremely high

frequency) is the band of spectrum between 24 gigahertz to 100 GHz.
These high-frequency bands are referred to as ‘mmWave’ due to short
wavelengths that can be measured in millimetres. 5G wireless
broadband technology is being tested on millimetre wave spectrum and
can be used for very high-speed wireless broadband communications
(ICF 2020)
Mobile edge-cloud Mobile Edge Cloud (MEC) is a network architecture concept that offers
a cloud-like capability at the edge of the network. Being close to the end

users, MECs decrease the latency and increase the performance of

high-bandwidth applications (Torre, Doan and Salah 2020).
NarrowBand-IoT NarrowBand-IoT (NB-IoT) is a standards-based low power wide area

technology developed to enable a wide range of new IoT devices and
services. (ICF 2020)
Network sharing Network sharing e.g. for MNOs means they are sharing the
infrastructure to some degree or other. (ICF 2020)
Network slicing Network slicing capabilities (born through 5G networks) will support the
provision of end-to-end dedicated capacity and tailored uplink/download
speeds
Network Slicing is a network architecture that enables service providers

to build virtual end-to-end networks tailored to application requirements
– the ability to deploy only the functions necessary to support
customers and market segments. (ICF 2020)
NR-Light Reduced capability NR devices
Radio access The RAN consists of the parts of the network associated with radio
network transmission, reception and signal processing which enable wireless
communication with the mobile phone or other terminal device. (ICF
2020)
Release 15/16/17 Release 15 is the first full set of 5G standards, includes the 5G system
phase 1, machine type of communications, IoT, vehicle to everything
communications, WLAN and unlicensed spectrum and system
enhancements. Release 16 is the second phase. New features include
enhancement of ultra-reliable low latency communications, satellite
access in 5G, streaming and TV (ICF 2020)
Release 17 is the third phase.
Radio frequency Refers to low powered radio systems used for equipment tagging and
identification tracking, typically using spectrum identified for "short range device" use
Spectrum The 5G spectrum is a range of radio frequencies in the sub-6 gigahertz

range and the millimetre-wave frequency range that is 24.25 GHz and
above. The 5G spectrum involves the radio frequencies that carry data
from user equipment (UE) to cellular base stations to the data’s
endpoint. (ICF 2020)
Virtualisation Virtualisation refers to the core networks of 5G being implemented in

software, rather than in hardware.
XR eXtended reality, including augmented reality AR, virtual reality VR and

mixed reality

Appendix B Adoption curves

Table B-1: Projected UK-wide adoption in the GPT and ADT scenarios, central market barrier case

Table B-2: Projected adoption in each UK region and country in the GPT scenario, central market barrier case

Table B-3: Projected adoption in each UK region and country in the IoT scenario, central market barrier case

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A report for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Realising the Benefits of 5G

Final report for publication August 2021 Cambridge Econometrics gh@camecon.com

Cambridge Econometrics Limited is owned by a charitable body,

3 Applications and benefits of 5G 24

4 5G marketplace and readiness in the UK 43

5 Barriers to adoption and their impact 61

5.6 Demand-side barriers – supporting evidence 72

6 Modelling the adoption and benefits of 5G 80

8 Analysis of scenario results 95

Appendix A Acronyms and Glossary 136

Appendix B Adoption curves 140

Appendix C References 143

greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, reductions in the use of energy, and

1.2 Aims of the project

1.3 Stakeholder engagement

reference to them in the report, has been withheld. Nonetheless, the

1.4 Structure of this report

• Chapter 9 concludes the report and summarises findings and insights.

In this chapter we provide an introduction to 5G to provide a high-level

2.1 What is 5G?

2.2 What does 5G offer users?

particularly important for analytics, where data needs to be processed

5G is also an enabling feature to other technology domains (e.g. robotics, IoT,

These enhanced functionalities of 5G are expected to unlock new business

Author Title Summary

The paper also describes progress in the 6 key

of the generation of connected and autonomous

Liverpool 5G Benefits, This paper analyses and presents evidence relating to

The paper establishes a direct relationship between

These applications are found to increase average

Ways in which these technologies might become

The paper estimated that:

2.3 Key features behind the transformative impact of 5G

2.4 How 5G will compare with other connectivity technologies

5G is being Some potential UK 5G have made substantial investments to optimise existing

High speed mobile broadband, with the capacity provided

Wi-Fi 6 is the next generation of Wi-Fi technology with

Offers highest speed, low latency fixed connections into

Short-range wireless A range of proprietary short-range wireless technologies

*Deployed in multiple frequency bands in the UK with different bandwidths/range – 4G low

Source: Analysys Mason.

home or an office), where power and coverage limitations do not inhibit

4G and 5G will Similarly, 4G and 5G are expected to act as complementary technologies in

dependent on the full portfolio of 5G spectrum bands (medium and high

Figure 2-2: Transformative benefits of 5G enabled through in mid- and high-band

Ultra-fast, low latency*, mobile connectivity, which,

Higher-speed, lower latency overlay to 4G (but without mid

Re-farming of existing spectrum from 3G/4G use to 5G,

▪ Cloud refers to on-demand IT services used by

Note: * Depending on deployment used

Source: Analysys Mason.

The benefits of The capabilities of 5G compared to 4G are discussed extensively in published

2.5 5G may be complementary or synergistic to other advanced

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

eXtended reality (XR) – Augmented, virtual and mixed reality

Automation and robotics (including drones)

Whilst it is understood that 5G-associated advanced technologies are likely to

3 Applications and benefits of 5G