Just months before the new 5G mobile technology is set to publicly roll out in the UK, BT has announced plans to rid of over 12% of its workforce over the next 3 years

In a plan to slash costs by £1.5 billion, BT are effectively “delayering” their workforce to improve operational efficiency and productivity. In response, BT are also set to hire an additional 6,000 new staff to enhance customer service and deployment nationally.

It comes as no surprise as BT have been reported to experience falling profits, after already seeing shares drop by 8% in value

With global competition strengthening, American Telecom giant Qualcomm has some “aggressive partners” who want to launch 5G mobile phones by the end of the year, in a bid to jump ahead of their competitors.

One example of a big player is BT’s subsidiary EE, who won 40MHz of 3.4 GHz spectrum, stated back in February that 5G was 18 months away.

One of the most interesting targets for the government however, is the rollout of 5G capability in rural areas. In a bid to expand the agricultural industry, an estimated £25 Million will be set aside for areas such as Inverness, Perthshire and South Wales where there are more isolated downs and villages.

Applications such as smart farming drones and the “Internet of Things” (IoT) will improve farmers’ harvest times and support their growth.

The rollout of 5G could see a repeat of the 4G rollout some years ago where BT and EE led the pack, and with the telecoms giant having a large share of the 5G data sold from the auction. All of this increased competition has us excited, maybe a sign that we will see 5G on our phones by 2019?

Written by Harrison Jones