A research study undertaken by Intelligens Consulting on behalf of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has been used to inform lawmakers in the House of Commons on 5G policy. Separate research undertaken by Intelligens Consulting on behalf of the Scottish Government has been used to provide advice and guidance to Scottish public bodies on the future of WiFi and 5G.
Intelligens Consulting has published research commissioned by Scotland’s Towns Partnership on behalf of the Scottish Government that looks at the benefits and challenges of deploying public WiFi schemes, drawing upon case studies and providing a summary of best practice delivery models for future wireless schemes.
The research explains that public bodies are starting to replace outdoor public WiFi schemes with outdoor small-cell networks. Densified and fibre-connected small cells are expected to form the foundation of future outdoor 5G networks.
It is likely that in the near future the ‘new norm’ will be indoor public WiFi and outdoor 5G networks complementing each other to provide consumers with a seamless connected experience.
Iqbal Singh Bedi who authored the report said, “However this new norm will take a while to materialise. In the meantime, the approach implemented by each public body will depend on a number of economic factors, its own unique political circumstances and priority outcomes.”
Scotland’s Towns Partnership’s Chief Officer, Phil Prentice, said: “WiFi is rightly cited as one of the most important aspects of digital connectivity that consumers cannot live without.”
Scottish Government Connectivity Minister, Paul Wheelhouse, said: “Free public WiFi provides an important service for many population groups”
Separately, we have also learned this week that Intelligens Consulting research has been used to inform the House of Commons on 5G policy.
Intelligens Consulting authored a landmark report on behalf of the International Telecommunications Union that set out the 5G landscape for ICT policy makers, national regulatory authorities (NRAs) and telecoms operators.
The report navigated the complex issues to support investment decisions and the potential social and economic benefits of 5G networks.
The report demystifies the hype surrounding 5G and made a host of recommendations designed to help policy-makers, regulators and operators work together effectively, both to meet the challenges and to benefit from the many opportunities that this new technology represents.
The House of Commons approves new laws and holds Government to account and it recently published a briefing paper on 5G. The briefing paper referenced the Intelligens Consulting report multiple times and many of the recommendations made by Intelligens Consulting particularly in reducing the barriers to entry for telecoms operators.1
The briefing paper also referenced the Intelligens Consulting report for its analysis on the economics of deploying 5G networks and which warned that 5G could lead to an urban/rural digital divide. However the market has moved on and Intelligens Consulting recently blogged that 5G could in fact also be the silver bullet for rural areas putting an end to the digital divide.
Intelligens Consulting Ltd is a boutique telecoms advisor providing investors, operators and policy makers with technical, strategic and commercial advice, with a global client base. Its Founding Director, Iqbal Singh Bedi is described as part of an elite group of people that has offered professional advice to the UK’s Prime Minister and Scotland’s First Minister on telecoms policy.