Logicalis on Bridging Britain’s 5G Divide for Business

Britain’s digital economy has long anticipated 5G as the foundation for transformation; yet, most UK enterprises remain slow to adopt the technology at an operational scale.

Infrastructure investments have made 5G accessible in key urban districts; however, full-scale deployments that deliver measurable business outcomes are still infrequent.

Recent findings confirm that strategic intent exists—UK business leaders widely acknowledge the importance of 5G – but pilots continue to be limited in scope, and commercial impact remains elusive.

Frank Rubotham, Head of Solution Specialists at Logicalis UK&I, says: “For many organisations, the expertise to design, secure and operate 5G-enabled environments simply doesn’t exist internally.”

Skills gap, strategy shortcomings and infrastructure readiness

A primary obstacle for the UK’s business landscape is the specialised skill required for 5G network design, deployment and operation.

Small and mid-sized enterprises – representing over 99% of UK businesses – face pronounced challenges, often lacking dedicated network engineering teams to manage the complexities of advanced mobile architecture.

Frank says: “This is especially true within small and mid-sized enterprises, which make up over 99% of UK businesses and often lack dedicated network engineering teams.”

The deficiency extends beyond technical skills.

There is a clear gap between investment in connectivity and the alignment with broader business objectives.

“Too often, 5G is treated as an infrastructure upgrade rather than an enabler of transformation,” Frank says.

The results in networks brimming with potential that remain underutilised, as application and operational strategies fail to keep pace.

National infrastructure sets constraints.

While public 5G rollout covers much of the urban population, industrial and rural areas experience patchy service.

“Coverage remains inconsistent, particularly across industrial and rural zones where the economic benefits could be most pronounced,” Frank explains.

"Without reliable low-latency coverage, even the most ambitious digital transformation plans are destined to stall.”

Comparing 5G adoption: UK and international markets

UK businesses operate in a global context where peers in South Korea, Germany and the United States leverage 5G to automate factories, optimise port operations and enable real-time hospital data sharing.

Frank says: “South Korea, Germany and parts of the United States have industry-led 5G initiatives well underway.

"Manufacturers are integrating private 5G networks into factories to automate production lines, ports are using them to manage fleets of autonomous cranes and carriers and hospitals are deploying 5G to support real-time data sharing across critical care units.”

What differentiates these markets is proactive regulatory policy combined with direct funding for industrial implementations.

The outcome is accelerated commercialisation of 5G, framing the technology as a strategic lever for productivity.

“The UK risks being left behind if adoption continues at its current pace,” Frank cautions.

The risk of delayed adoption and security considerations

Delayed business adoption risks exacerbating the digital divide between UK companies and international competitors, as well as within domestic markets.

Without robust bandwidth and low latency, automation, AI and IoT integration stall.

“Businesses that delay risk widening the digital divide, not just with competitors abroad but domestically too,” Frank says.

Legacy networks and public Wi-Fi prove insufficient for demanding sectors like transport and logistics, leading to inefficiency and missed opportunities for optimisation.

Frank says: “The result is inefficiency, downtime and missed opportunities for real-time optimisation, challenges that 5G was designed to solve.”

Security is another pressing consideration, heightened by the increasing number of cyberattacks on operational systems in 2025.

“Private 5G networks offer the ability to tightly control data flow and access, an advantage that is becoming essential as cyberattacks on operational technology environments have proven very disruptive in 2025,” Frank adds.

Pathways to scaling up: Pilot to progress

Britain fosters a dynamic ecosystem for telecommunications innovation.

Technology vendors, universities and industrial pilots together show what’s feasible with well-integrated 5G.

Frank says: “The UK has an active ecosystem of technology innovators, academic partners and industrial testbeds demonstrating what’s possible when 5G is applied to real-world environments.”

Recent projects evidence material gains in efficiency, safety and sustainability.

However, moving from pilot to progress means shifting mindset and action.

“The next step is scale. Rather than waiting for perfect conditions, businesses need to start small, deploying 5G where it directly supports operational goals and expand from there,” Frank advises.

"Gradual implementation guided by clear metrics and cross-departmental alignment can bridge the gap between experimentation and impact.”

Beyond hype, toward execution

The UK’s infrastructure and innovation capability set the stage for national progress, but success requires more than readiness.

Confidence, commitment and a joined-up strategy are critical to connect technological ambition with practical outcomes.

Frank concludes: “If Britain is to compete globally, the conversation about 5G needs to move beyond the hype and into execution.”