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UK mobile network operator O2 has invited the country’s biggest 100 companies to participate in its 5G testbed trials
O2’s chief exec Mark Evans has written to the CEOs of the UK’s FTSE100 companies, inviting them to help develop a series of business use cases for 5G.
“5G is a brilliant way for the UK to turn promise into progress. This nation will thrive on the potential power of 5G,” said Derek McManus, COO at O2.
Britain’s FTSE100 companies have until September to register for the series of trials at the O2 test bed in London.
Developing business use cases for 5G will be essential in speeding up rollout of next generation mobile networks, especially in the UK, according to industry analysts.
"Following the recent 5G spectrum auction in the UK, operators want to claim a leadership position in the development of 5G. In order to do this, they must understand the impact of real-life conditions and scenarios on their network. Testing 5G is vital as the new communications standard poses a completely different set of challenge to those that went before. 3G and 4G were designed as a single wireless technology used primarily to supply mobile data services, whereas 5G will be used to support services across a huge range of industries," said Li-Ke Huang, 5G research and technology director at VIAVI.
