Our first paper released today (pdf) shows British businesses will lose hundreds of millions of pounds a year because of the UK government’s delay in rolling out fast 4G mobile broadband.
With faster mobile data downloads, more than 37 million business hours a year could be saved. Those extra hours cost UK businesses £732 million a year.
Other countries, including the US, Germany, Sweden, Finland and Korea have already launched 4G fast mobile broadband, putting UK businesses at a commercial and technological disadvantage.
“Visitors to Britain will first notice London’s lack of 4G mobile data when they arrive for the Olympics next year,” says James Firth, report co-author and CEO of Open Digital. "In addition to the lost time through slow mobile data, UK businesses won’t be able to fully benefit from new cloud-based business tools until the UK has a nationwide reliable high speed mobile data network."
Ofcom, the UK regulatory authority tasked with allocating the necessary radio spectrum, does not anticipate the first commercial 4G services to come online before 2013, and nationwide roll-out won’t be complete before 2017.
Open Digital is calling on Ofcom to adopt more ambitious roll-out targets and for the government to acknowledge the massive benefit to the economy from 4G mobile data.
Our findings also put the cost to the UK economy from the recently announced delay of 3-6 months in holding the auction to allocate licenses necessary to run 4G services at £183m - £366m.
With faster mobile data downloads, more than 37 million business hours a year could be saved. Those extra hours cost UK businesses £732 million a year.
Other countries, including the US, Germany, Sweden, Finland and Korea have already launched 4G fast mobile broadband, putting UK businesses at a commercial and technological disadvantage.
“Visitors to Britain will first notice London’s lack of 4G mobile data when they arrive for the Olympics next year,” says James Firth, report co-author and CEO of Open Digital. "In addition to the lost time through slow mobile data, UK businesses won’t be able to fully benefit from new cloud-based business tools until the UK has a nationwide reliable high speed mobile data network."
Ofcom, the UK regulatory authority tasked with allocating the necessary radio spectrum, does not anticipate the first commercial 4G services to come online before 2013, and nationwide roll-out won’t be complete before 2017.
Open Digital is calling on Ofcom to adopt more ambitious roll-out targets and for the government to acknowledge the massive benefit to the economy from 4G mobile data.
Our findings also put the cost to the UK economy from the recently announced delay of 3-6 months in holding the auction to allocate licenses necessary to run 4G services at £183m - £366m.
This situation puts the UK at a great disadvantage against other world powers, it is necessary to make a quick action plan that are not left behind with new technologies and begin to lose competitiveness. The secret development of a country is to keep pace with technological advances.
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