5G provides the network foundation for the next generation of digital technologies and services that will advance Canada’s standard of living and help address key challenges including climate change
Deetken Insight was commissioned by TELUS to complete a comprehensive review of published research about 5G and its potential socio-economic impacts, with a particular focus on Canada. The research highlights a compelling value case for a robust nationwide 5G network. Because of its 10-fold performance improvements over 4G, 5G will drive economic growth across sectors and improve quality of life across communities. Given the right conditions, 5G and 5G-enabled technologies will:
- Increase economic growth across all sectors, delivering an estimated 16% of GDP growth by 2036 while supporting growth in high-paying digital economy jobs
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions up to 20% and deliver other environmental benefits such as more sustainable agricultural practices
- Increase the productive capacity of rural communities through the deployment of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) where last-mile fibre is not feasible
- Improve healthcare system performance, including enabling the expansion of rural and virtual care models
- Deliver new interactive capabilities built on augmented and virtual reality and artificial intelligence that enhance the quality of life for older Canadians and those living with disabilities
- Increase crop yields and optimize water, pesticide, herbicide, and fertilizer use for the agriculture sector
The report presents an exhaustive overview of emerging use cases and the potential economic and socio-economic benefits of 5G in eleven sectors. It also describes what steps the public sector, mobile network operators, and other industry stakeholders should take to accelerate the successful deployment and adoption of 5G. Chief among these steps are:
- The speedy release of spectrum that enable the majority of high value use cases that bring benefits to all sectors and to rural and other underserved communities; and
- The development of a digital infrastructure strategy and three-year roadmap, led by the federal government, that lays a path toward achieving success targets with respect to 5G infrastructure deployment and adoption across urban and rural communities.
An ambitious yet coordinated approach to the rollout of 5G is critical to ensuring the benefits are achieved while also ensuring Canada’s 5G networks and the applications that run on them are reliable and resilient. And yet Canada, despite the benefits of 5G, is behind its global peers in its deployment and adoption to date. Urgent action is required to get Canada back on track and demonstrate global leadership in 5G. Digital innovation, enabled by 5G, should be a cornerstone of Canada’s prosperity and sustainability agendas.
The Report
A summary overview of the full report, including key takeaways
“The Socio-Economic Impacts of 5G,” a comprehensive review of published research about 5G and its potential socio-economic impacts, with a particular focus on Canada
Quick Takes
Summary of the economic impact of 5G
Summary of the environmental benefits of 5G
Summary of 5G’s potential impact on the health sector
Summary of 5G’s potential impact on the agriculture sector
Summary of 5G’s potential impact on the energy sector
Chapters for Download
Recommended actions that government, mobile network operators and other key stakeholders should take in collaboration to ensure the successful deployment and adoption of 5G technology; includes a proposed performance measurement framework to measure deployment and adoption success.
Estimates of 5G’s potential contribution to Canada’s economy in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) over the next 15 years. These estimates draw on published reports as well as independent modeling by Deetken.
A summary of the potential environmental and other socio-economic benefits of 5G, using ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) as an organizing framework
An in-depth research summary of emerging use cases in the Health sector and potential economic and ESG benefits of 5G to the sector
An in-depth research summary of emerging use cases in the Agriculture sector and potential economic and ESG benefits of 5G to the sector
An in-depth research summary of emerging use cases in the Energy sector and potential economic and ESG benefits of 5G to the sector
