According to new analysis by Deloitte, the North West is leading the country for 5G connectivity. The firm has founded that of the 21 live sites in the UK, six are located across the region. This exceeds the four found in the West Midlands and three in London.
Vodafone has pioneered much of the North West’s 5G connectivity, supporting services across Birkenhead, Bolton, Liverpool and Lancaster. It also enabled the UK’s first 5G-connected airport in Manchester. Additional support across Greater Manchester is currently provided by EE, with Three and O2 expected to rollout their coverage across parts of the region by 2020.
“The impact that 5G connectivity is going to have on the North West region cannot be overstated. With speeds that are expected to be up to 100 times faster than those currently offered by 4G, consumers and businesses alike will be able to benefit from ultra-fast, low-latency connectivity at the touch of a screen,” said Claire Jolly, head of TMT and forensic partner at Deloitte in the North West, the company that conducted the analysis.
“5G will be essential in ushering in the next generation of technology, from enabling the deployment of smart cities, to driving forward advances in robotics, AI and machine learning. With all the major network providers committing to the launch of 5G across the region, North West businesses are in a prime position to take early advantage of the data processing power and efficiency gains that this new network will bring about,” Claire added.
