New CWTA report outlines benefits to transportation, agriculture, energy and rural connectivity on a national scale
OTTAWA, Nov. 13, 2019 /CNW/ - Cities and rural communities across Canada will see significant economic and quality-of-life benefits as 5G is deployed, demonstrating the impact it could have on a national scale with the right support, according to a new report commissioned by the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association and developed by Accenture Strategy
The report, "Accelerating 5G in Canada – Benefits for Cities and Rural Communities" examines how the deployment of 5G – which will be different than previous generations of wireless technology – can benefit both cities and rural communities.
"The access to ultra-fast, ultra-reliable and higher-capacity wireless connectivity that 5G offers will enable entirely new ways of using mobile technology for Canadian consumers and businesses," said Tejas Rao, managing director and Global 5G Offering Lead for Accenture. "It will unleash opportunities that are difficult to imagine today but will soon be transformative. The communications industry will play a pivotal role in bringing these prospects to light."
As Canada gets closer to national 5G deployments, the report reveals the estimated economic impact will reach $40 billion of annual GDP uplift by 2026, with 250,000 permanent jobs added to the economy in the same timeframe.
5G also presents an opportunity for a new level of innovation and competitive agility in the communications industry, fueling new business and operating models, enabling effective ecosystems and generating new sources of growth for industry leaders in the coming years. Operators and network equipment providers will need to work with local governments to secure access to infrastructure for deployment of 5G that will drive new offerings like smart connected city services and rural high-speed connectivity. The Canadian government will also have to maintain a regulatory environment that encourages the levels of investment necessary to deploy 5G networks.
The report examines key benefits likely to be realized in these select use case deployments, including:
- Transportation & Mobility: large-scale smart traffic management applications.
- Precision Agriculture: innovation technologies for crop and soil management.
- Energy Management: smart grid sensor densification and smart street lighting.
- Rural Connectivity: efficient broadband rollout to underserved areas.
"It's exciting to watch as the advantages of 5G technology come to life in ways that will benefit all Canadians, regardless of whether they are living in urban or rural areas of our country," said Robert Ghiz, President & CEO of CWTA. "Many people assume that new network technology will only benefit residents and businesses in our largest cities, however this report shows that this is clearly not the case. The examples explored in the study prove that 5G has the potential to improve everyone's quality of life, no matter where they live or work. So long as government policies encourage investment in wireless infrastructure and boost collaboration with communications providers, we will see 5G wireless services make a positive difference in the lives of all Canadians."
The report details the role that the Canadian government can play in accelerating 5G deployment across Canada by encouraging innovation in advanced technologies, supporting investment in wireless infrastructure, and enabling collaboration with the communications industry in deploying innovative use cases.
The report can be found here.
About CWTA
The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) is the authority on wireless issues, developments and trends in Canada. It represents companies that provide services and products across the wireless sector. Representing the industry before all levels of government and various regulatory agencies, CWTA actively promotes the industry with the goal of ensuring continued growth of the wireless sector in Canada. CWTA administers a number of initiatives on behalf of its members, including corporate social responsibility programs and the national common short codes program.
SOURCE Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association
Media Inquiries: CWTA, Greg Burch, 204-250-9244, [email protected]
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