While 4G already plays a major role in how councils deliver services, 5G will enhance and add to this capability - enabling local authorities to further improve the lives of their residents and the quality, accessibility and availability of the services they provide.

As part of Mobile UK’s latest #5GCheckTheFacts campaign,the trade body provides insight into the benefits of 5G, while providing useful materials to help dispel the misinformation about the technology’s impact onhealth.

Due to its speed, reliability, and capacity to simultaneously connect many more devices, 5G digital connectivity is expected to offer significant additional benefits to local authorities and their residents. From reducing annual costs and easing the effects of social isolation, to helping manage transport networks and better address environmental concerns.

In Liverpool, test bed projects have focussed on developing the use of 5G technology in social care settings. Sensors were designed to detect accidents and concerning behaviour patterns of vulnerable people while at home. A push-of-the-button device was created so that isolated residents can instantly talk to somebody when they are feeling lonely. It is innovations like these that will help residents, needing social care services, to live in their own homes for longer.

In Glasgow, smart street lighting is being trialled - the lights are fitted with sensors to detect noise and disturbances that may relate to citizen safety concerns. While in San Diego the city are estimating that they’ll save $1.9 million every year by using smart street lamps to adjust lighting according to conditions and to immediately identify faulty lights.

These are just a handful of examples of some of the benefits of 5G. To read more you can view and download the dedicated mini pack, ‘How 5G will help councils’ here - https://www.mobileuk.org/5g-local-authority-toolkit

Mobile UK is also acutely aware of the growing number of enquiries that councils are receiving about 5G, and the desire to have the right information available at the click of a button. Therefore our #5GCheckTheFacts campaign and downloadable materials also include a new toolkit for local authorities. The pack has been created to help address concerns and overcome some of the barriers to understanding this exciting technology.

As an extension of the toolkit, a two-page fact sheet on 5G masts and health has also been created to help dispel the misinformation about 5G masts, that in some cases has led to arson attacks on infrastructure and the abuse of engineers.

All relevant documents can beviewed and downloaded here - https://www.mobileuk.org/5g-and-health

The Local Authority Tookit can be downloaded here - https://www.mobileuk.org/5g-local-authority-toolkit

To stay up to date with the latestnews and the #5GCheckTheFacts campaign follow @MobileUK_News on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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