The promise of 5G for easing the pressure on the stretched public sector

It’s been clear, over the past few years, that the UK’s public sector has faced significant financial struggles – grappling with issues ranging from deteriorating infrastructure to the immense operational and financial pressures on the NHS. Chancellor Rachel Reeves revealed a £22 billion “black hole” in public finances this year, and this doesn’t necessarily come as a huge surprise.

This challenge is so stark, that the Local Government Association has found that nearly one in five local councils are likely to be facing bankruptcy by March 2025 – with the County Councils Network forecasting a £54 billion funding shortfall facing England’s local councils over the next five years.

The day-to-day running of these buildings is economically demanding, especially in a climate of decreasing funding and inflation of energy costs, which alone are adding over £95 million to the total council spending bills in 2023/24.

Technology, however, can offer hope. New modelling from Vodafone UK and WPI Strategy shows how 5G-powered digital technologies could reduce energy bills and improve energy efficiency, when applied to public buildings like hospitals, schools, and leisure centers.

The research found that technologies like digital twins – virtual models of buildings – enable engineers to remotely monitor and optimize building performance, quickly identifying maintenance needs and opportunities for cost and energy efficiencies. The Internet of Things (IoT) enables communication between devices, whilst smart sensors installed across public buildings can enhance data collection and analysis.

Collectively, these technologies have the potential to reduce carbon emissions…