Ofcom report shows growing 5G coverage

One in five mobile phones is now capable of

using 5G, but some consumers say speed is

disappointing

The reality is our world is changing, isn't it? So the digital connectivity is getting everywhere, digital transformation is being applied across every single workplace, so we need to adapt to that need. So expectations are rising for consumers that they want coverage everywhere, around UK, not just in the main cities, but the rule areas as well, but as well as Enterprises want to use connectivity many new ways. So we need to adapt to that world. And that's what we're doing for our regulation. What we do is we have a range of priorities. The number one, priority of every A thing we do is focused on our consumers and citizens, and UK, and I'll score, of course, the stakeholders in the industry. So we want to make sure that there's universality of service across the whole of the UK. And what that really means is in some areas, there's not enough commercial incentive to reach the really difficult to reach areas. 

So in the rural areas, we engage with the local communities and find found out

Find out what's the best way to improve connectivity. And, for example, the current consultation we're doing on the Spectrum auction for 700, megahertz. And the rest of the mid band 45g with coverage. Obligations is a big part of that. So that's what the rural areas. We also try and help government to understand what are the new technological innovations that can improve connectivity across roads and Railways in the rural areas, in particular to, those are kind of areas for the of our interaction, which is much more. I would say. Hands-On in the rural areas where competition itself can't solve the problems, however, in the main cities and the urban areas of UK, there's a very strong competition. There's Very strong investment, the MMOs. Now are launching five years. We've heard today, we have one network launched another one launching next month, another one, the month after that. And at the same time, across all of that security and resilience of networks is absolutely key is because none of the none of their business cases for 5G will ever work if people don't trust the Network's. So we want to make sure that whatever we do there and whatever companies and stakeholders do is done in a way where security and resilience is invented by Design up front, the 3.8 to 4.2. It's interesting that here it's caused quite Buzz because it's not something new. We actually started our consultation on our proposals back in December which ran for I think was two or three months. We got a lot of interest around that. We got a lot of feedback, it could be in the future that you have dozens or hundreds of operators.

Service providers on 5G networks and other types of

connectivity in a couple of years

Our concern is that you know the supply chain has been very restricted in, there's not enough global Flyers out there, part of that. Is that the operators have? Let's say a lot of needs that are specific to the large-scale rollouts and so there hasn't been a lot of choice there and it's very difficult for a new startup to come out. Even with the backing of a spin-out from University, for example, to actually get a relationship with an operator, because they can be quite because already on that field, because these are customers that they need that. They worry about which is understandable. However, By allowing the smaller players smaller system smaller networks with a quick and manage their own risk, but actually can secure that risk. Through various means of security in a standardized way and dipping into a global ecosystem, which is being pushed by for the 5G. Standards allowing them to to actually have a wider choice of who they deploy, you know, in a controlled manner. That's a huge market for a start-up and actually, there's a much better chance that some of those startups. Can get an anchor customer and then if they do a really good job, they will get more customers. And I think that's fantast going to be groundbreaking. Because today, you got a very small range of customers, and it's a big risk to actually put a lot of investment for a new startup and trying to break in. Whereas, now you have a much more wider range of custom, which means we should see a more diversity of the ecosystem, which is good for everybody. It's a really exciting time because we're not necessarily everybody fighting over the same things. We're not fighting over the scraps of for Sunday dinner. There's Auntie for everybody because the digital transformation universe is going to is going to go right across all Industries. So that expansion will give space for the operators. Who give space for third parties. It'll give space for research institutions to produce startups and and so I think really it would be good if everybody just sees the fact that that there's no reason to fight over your piece of the pie but that the more you collaborate with a Clear Vision of where you want, To go, you can get a bigger slice of the pie, so I'm hoping that we'll see what we've already seen in the last year. Working together with dcms in the UK and UK 5G organization collaboration across a range of trials, with Government funding with ofcom involved, with the operation involved, with the researchers, or the local authorities involved. That framework, I think is a really good building block for the future. And I'd like to see more collaboration with our type because I think the bigger picture is that there's room for everybody.