Local government talks the talk on 5G, but can it walk the walk?
For those interested in just how things are going to work out for commercial 5G, there's one unknown that might be key: will local government get its act together to play much of a role? It might make all the difference for operators to get funding for 5G infrastructure.
Some key officials have quite a bit to say about how they'll support 5G in their area. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, unveiled a new strategy in 2017 for improving digital connectivity in the City. As ISP Preview note here, though, he didn't specify just how much money he thinks is needed or where it's coming from.
In these capital-constrained times, it's difficult to believe that local government can stump up with lots of cash to fund 5G. It is however very possible that it might still walk the walk by easing restrictions on planning permissions for small cells and other 5G infrastructure. Let's keep watching.
Mike Wilkinson, Group founder, Commercializing 5G