Significant investments in mobile connectivity have improved 4G and 5G coverage across the UK in recent years. However, measuring the true impact of these advancements remains challenging, but not impossible. FarrPoint has produced several economic evaluations uncovering insights into the socio-economic benefits of mobile infrastructure and why this is increasingly important.
Author: Matthew Izatt-Lowry, Head of Economics
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Both the public and private sectors have contributed significantly to the nationwide rollout of 4G and the more recent expansion of 5G coverage, particularly in urban areas.
The four mobile network operators (MNOs) have invested in upgrading their networks, expanding coverage, and increasing network capacity. In addition, Government initiatives, such as the(this will open in a new window)Shared Rural Network (SRN) over the whole of the UK and the (this will open in a new window)Scottish 4G Infill (S4GI) programme in Scotland, have allocated funds to improve coverage in underserved areas. Other programmes like the (this will open in a new window)5G Innovation Regions and the (this will open in a new window)Open Networks Ecosystem (ONE) Competition have looked to improve the proliferation and adoption of 5G.
This combined effort has significantly improved mobile connectivity across the UK, benefiting businesses, individuals, and communities. However, the telecoms and public sector have struggled to quantify what the realised benefit of these investments have been.
While studies suggest the potential impact of 5G could contribute as much as (this will open in a new window)£43 billion to the UK economy by 2030, with up to (this will open in a new window)£6 billion in the Manufacturing Sector alone, evaluations of interventions have struggled to quantify the realised impact of mobile connectivity. Instead, they have often relied on qualitative survey findings, capturing users' perceptions of how these improvements have affected their service experience.
By using a combination of survey-based primary evidence and robust evidence-based econometric analysis, we can clearly identify the socio-economic impact of improvements in mobile connectivity.
Most recently, our work on EE’s 4G network showed that improvements to mobile connectivity can generate more than £6 million in socio-economic benefits for a single rural community. This builds upon a previous study we undertook evaluating the impact of a new S4GI mast in the Scottish Highlands, demonstrating that the mast had an economic break-even point of 15 years and a carbon emissions break-even point of only six years.
If you've invested in mobile connectivity projects but are struggling to clearly demonstrate the impact, FarrPoint can help. Get in touch and discover how we can help you showcase the tangible impact of your mobile infrastructure improvements.
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