Eóin MacManus, Chief Business Officer at Three Ireland, sees 5G tech as the cornerstone of faster economic recovery, ushering in greater prosperity for the years to come.

In a recent interview with The Irish Times, McManus talked about the potential of 5G as being real and immense. He likened the advent of 5G as comparable to the impact that both electricity and the motorcar had on people’s lives in the last century.

4G rollouts over the last decade have changed the world as we know it, as well as how we have collectively faced the challenges of a global pandemic. MacManus says, “Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Netflix have all played key roles, yet 10 years ago we did not have the connectivity to use these communications tools at the scale which we have grown to expect.”

Whilst the government’s vision is remote working and innovation, their National Broadband Plan is not due to be completed until 2027, making progress somewhat slow. MacManus believes 5G will be the lynchpin for rapid economic recovery; the consensus among economists is that 5G has a huge multiplier effect. “Every Euro spent directly on 5G capacity on infrastructure, networks and so on, generates over €2.50 in extra benefits to businesses, consumers, and government.”

MacManus is confident that Ireland is well placed within Europe in terms of 5G capacity and digital capability. The opportunities presented by 5G are not just for large technology companies, but also for Irish SMEs, as connectivity truly is their lifeblood. He adds, “They cannot wait until 2027 for faster speeds, missing the opportunity is simply not an option.”

Read the full article here.