The Minister for Economic Development, Senator Lyndon Farnham, has welcomed the proposed introduction of 5G in the Channel Islands.
At the Channel Islands’ first public 5G Summit, which started this morning in Guernsey, Senator Farnham spoke about the significance of Jersey’s telecoms sector and its role in supporting the government’s priorities. He praised Jersey’s excellent digital infrastructure and discussed the importance of maintaining and improving our existing infrastructure so that we can benefit from adopting new technology – such as 5G connectivity.
In his speech, Senator Farnham said: “By continuing to invest in our digital infrastructure, we will be able to help create a sustainable and vibrant economy for our island.
“We are fortunate to have a highly advanced digital infrastructure that we can use as a foundation for the future. But that doesn’t mean that we can become complacent. We need to build on this strong foundation, to make sure that it remains fit for purpose, and to make sure that we can adopt new technologies and use them to our advantage.”
Senator Farnham also discussed the benefits that 5G connectivity could bring, such as driving Jersey’s productivity. He commented: “In the UK, a report by O2 found that 5G infrastructure could generate total productivity savings of £6 billion a year for British cities due to a range of factors including improvements to smart grids and healthcare.
“I would hope that 5G, along with our existing fibre network, will facilitate similar benefits for our island’s productivity.”
The summit, which follows on from a private industry summit held earlier this year, has brought together ministers, officers, and industry professionals from across the Channel Islands, as well as student digital ambassadors, to work together on the future of the Channel Islands’ telecoms sector.
Jersey’s first 5G test network is expected to be operational in 2019.
States of Jersey Press Release.