BT Pushes UK Government to Accelerate the 5G Reform

BT Group called on the UK government to accelerate reforms supporting mobile network investment. The operator has warned that the country could miss out on up to £230 billion in economic benefits by 2035 if action is not taken.

In its report, BT argues that improved mobile connectivity, particularly through the nationwide deployment of 5G standalone, could contribute more than £88 billion to economic growth by enabling the wider adoption of advanced technologies such as machine learning and AI. The report, developed alongside Assembly Research, outlined the wide-reaching economic impact that improved mobile connectivity could have across key UK sectors.

In transport, expanding mobile coverage to 80 per cent of the rail network could generate £12 billion in additional productivity by 2035, while achieving full mobile coverage across the road network could unlock £45 billion by enabling autonomous vehicle deployment. In rural regions, investment in advanced 4G and 5G SA infrastructure could inject up to £3 billion into local economies.

In addition to the £88 billion already projected, better 5G SA coverage could drive another £26 billion in economic value through faster adoption of drone technologies. A further £9.5 billion in added value could be unlocked across the media, broadcasting, and digital advertising sectors. BT also pointed to £37 billion in potential gains through modernising the energy grid and £7.9 billion in productivity from reduced business downtime as more reliable mobile networks make backup connectivity options more viable for businesses.

However, Howard Watson, chief security and networks officer at BT, stated that with growing demand for network capacity alongside low retail prices, the investment must be matched by policy support. “To deliver the networks the nation needs for the future, we need greater collaboration with the government and regulators, as well as support from local communities and councils,” Watson said.