Vodafone has recently unveiled a compelling case for outfitting public buildings in the UK with 5G-enabled technology. According to a ‘Connected Spaces’ report by WPI Strategy for Vodafone UK, integrating digital twins, IoT, and smart sensors could save the public sector £580 million annually.
The report models current energy expenditures of public buildings, suggesting cost savings through the new technology. These technologies provide valuable data about energy consumption, driving efficiency, and reducing usage.
Remarkably, digital twins, IoT, and smart sensors could potentially cut energy use in public buildings by 17%. This translates to annual savings of up to £350,000 for an average 40,000-person town. Applying these savings across the UK leads to the £580 million annual figure.
Council and civil service buildings, along with hospitals, stand to gain the most. Expected savings amount to £85,000 and £153,612 per site, respectively.
Although initial installation costs for these technologies are high, the report estimates they pay for themselves within 2-3 years. Besides cost savings, the technology could also reduce CO2 emissions by 1.43 million tonnes, aiding the UK’s sustainability goals.
Vodafone asserts that these innovations require standalone 5G (SA 5G) for optimal performance. “We believe that a best-in-class 5G network would provide a much-needed economic boost to the public purse,” said Andrea Dona, Chief Network Officer of Vodafone UK. “This is why, as part of our proposed combination with Three UK, we have committed to rolling out 5G Standalone to every school and hospital nationwide by 2030.”
However, it’s noteworthy that while SA 5G promises top performance, other technologies like 4G could handle some deployments. Still, SA 5G offers faster speeds and greater capacities, supporting numerous devices and sensors simultaneously.
Vodafone used this announcement to promote its merger with Three UK, asserting it would create conditions for a nationwide SA 5G network. The combined company plans to invest £11 billion in its network over the next decade, aiming for 99% population coverage with 5G standalone by 2034, and over 95% by 2030.
