Vodafone CEO Nick Jeffery tips 5G to transform the way people work
Vodafone UK’s new digital hub was opened today (October 24) by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan as the operator revealed that 5G could boost the UK economy by £30 billion by 2030.
Vodafone’s new digital hub in the capital is called the ‘Speechmark’ and has undergone a £6.5 million refurbishment that houses a 1,000 strong team.
The operator currently invests around £1 million per week improving network capacity around the city as the demand for data increases.
Vodafone has also struck a partnership with Transport for London that will see the operator become the first in the UK to pilot wireless 4G connectivity in tunnels and at station platforms.
The pilot will initially trial on the eastern part of the Jubilee Line from spring 2020, while there is also the potential for 5G connectivity in the future.
With 5G expected to generate £30 billion for the UK, Vodafone has rolled the network out to 77 towns and cities across the UK and Europe, which it claims to be more than any other operator.
At the launch event Khan said: “London is on track to become the world’s leading smart city, and the move to 5G has the potential to make the capital a global trailblazer in civic innovation.
“By working with providers like Vodafone we can develop the best technologies that will boost our economy and meet the needs of Londoners, radically improving how we live and work.”
Vodafone UK CEO Nick Jeffery added: “5G will enable a whole new generation of digital services capable of improving transportation, housing, and connectivity across the capital. 5G will transform the way we live, how and where we do business, and improve how productive we can be at work.”