We have conducted some new research that shows that over half of small-medium sized businesses (SMEs) think that the benefits of 5G business broadband are over-hyped and exaggerated.
The research found that there is some confusion amongst SMEs around what 5G is, and the actual benefits it brings. Only 29% describe how well they understand 5G as ‘very well’, with 30% admitting to their understanding being ‘average’ or less.
| As an SME owner or senior manager at an SME, how well do you understand what 5G is, when it will be available, and what its benefits are likely to be? | Very well | 29% |
| Quite well | 41% | |
| Average | 22% | |
| Not very well | 7% | |
| Don’t know | 1% |
CEO, Ben Dowd says “5G is one of the most exciting developments in telecoms for years, but our research shows that the industry still has a lot to do in terms of not just explaining how it works but also the benefits it brings and how it could genuinely power growth for SMEs.
With that in mind, the main telecoms operators and companies are stepping up their educational and marketing programmes around 5G with clear and relatable use cases. For our part, our customer service team are working hard to give our partners live updates on the latest developments in their areas to give them a better understanding of how 5G works when it will be available and how their enterprises could potentially benefit from it.”
In the longer term, we expect 5G to power a range of business products and services, fuelling adoption of the ‘Internet of Things’ and further strengthening the digital infrastructure available to enterprises. In the short-term, we can help businesses get better connected, at far higher speeds.
With a range of 5G devices available to customers, we can offer access to the next generation of mobile technology, 5G mobile devices and also provide them Vodafone 5G GigaCube connecting all employees from one space to 5G. However, access to 5G is still limited. You need to be in a city that is 5G business broadband ready – but the expansive roll-out plan is continuing at pace over the next 12 to 18 months.