For London Boroughs, 5G could have a transformative effect on areas such as IT, environmental services, housing and social services, but 31 out of 33 London boroughs have no specific strategy for enabling the roll-out of 5G networks.
In this topical webinar, Samer Bagaeen, Professor of Planning at Kent School of Architecture & Planning will lay out some of the key discussion points and tensions surrounding the roll out of the technology.
Mission 3 in the Smart London Plan offers an ambition of higher connectivity and smarter streets, and Ofcom estimates that the number of connected devices, whether a mobile phone on a person, a smart meter in the home, an air quality sensor on the street or an energy meter in the workplace, will increase 12 fold by 2026.
Cratus, the communications agency, has written recently that 5G is an enormous opportunity for local government bodies and the communities they represent.
Whilst some local authorities have been forward-thinking in their attitudes, many are failing to recognise this new reality and plan for the future. A recent survey by The MJ and BT found that 56% of councils had yet to formally discuss the impact of 5G.
On the ground, reality is dominated by fragmented conversations across the multiple actors in this area: Government, the Networks, the Regulator, the Agents, Local Government, (economy, health, planning) and Communities.
And on top of all this, local authorities are having to deal with false claims about 5G and COVID-19 that have been linked to arson against UK masts.
Professor Bagaeen’s webinar aims to encourage a healthy and open debate on the merits and drawbacks of 5G for local authorities and for the public.
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