Businesses believe that the impact of 5G will be significant but many still have concerns about security, according to a new study.
In a survey of more than 2,600 business and technology decision makers across 12 industry sectors in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific, Accenture found that four in five (79%) expect the next-generation mobile technology to have a major impact on their organisation – including 57% who believe it will be “revolutionary”.
For instance, 85% of respondents anticipate using 5G to support mobile employees in the field within the next four years, up from 68% who said the same in last year’s survey.
However, more than one-third (35%) of respondents expressed concerns about security – despite 5G being more secure than previous generations of mobile networks – and almost two-thirds (62%) are worried that 5G will leave them more vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
“The link between 5G and its perceived security risks is complex,” commented George Nazi, senior managing director and Communications and Media industry lead at Accenture. “According to our study, executives believe that 5G can help secure their businesses, but that 5G network architecture also presents inherent challenges in terms of user privacy, number of connected devices and networks, and service access and supply chain integrity.”
The good news is that businesses are thinking about to how to deal with these challenges, with three-quarters (74%) of respondents saying they expect to redefine policies and procedures related to security as 5G emerges.
Firms also recognise that external support will help them make the most of 5G. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of respondents said they need help to imagine the future possibilities for connected solutions with 5G, and the percentage of businesses expecting to develop 5G applications in-house has dropped over the last year, from 23% in last year’s survey to 14% this year.
“With the right business strategy and ecosystem collaboration, the signs point towards a world of compelling 5G use cases and business outputs,” Nazi added. “Communications service providers should act now to ensure they are at the heart of the 5G ecosystem to unlock the potential growth.”
Read more about the expectations and challenges surrounding the next wave of connectivity by downloading your free copy of our Next-generation connectivity report.
Tags: 5G
