AT the midway point of the 5G era, the UK is still facing hurdles in maximizing the potential of the technology, with a risk that it will be commercialized in the same way as previous generations, according to Ericsson UK and Ireland chief executive Katherine Ainley.
Speaking to Mobile World Live during MWC25 Barcelona, as reported by Chris Donkin on March 18, Ainley acknowledged that while both non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (SA) 5G rollouts in the UK have been progressing well, there remains a gap in user experience.
“There’s lots more to do,” she said. “It feels quite different in different places. If you’re in an urban area, it’s great. If you’re in a rural area, probably not quite so great.”
Among the key challenges, Ainley highlighted the need for greater use of mid-band spectrum, expansion of standalone 5G networks, and an increase in the number of compatible devices available in the market. She also warned that the industry risks treating 5G as just another incremental upgrade rather than an opportunity to innovate.
“There’s still a risk that it’s monetized in a similar way to 4G and 3G, but just with a different badge on it,” she cautioned.
Although she acknowledged some progress in network slicing deployments and other innovations, Ainley said operators are still working towards a model where users are willing to pay for a premium 5G experience.
“Examples include consumers paying for better coverage at a concert, or paying a little bit more because whenever you’re on a Teams call, it knows and it kicks in,” she explained.
Beyond consumer applications, Ainley pointed to significant momentum in enterprise deployments, particularly in ports and manufacturing, where private 5G networks are gaining traction. However, she stressed that industry discussions need to focus on practical use cases rather than just the technology itself.
“Part of the problem is if you talk about a private network, you have to have quite a deep level of understanding to know what that is and why you want it,” she said. “It’s a different conversation if you say to someone: do you want to remove all the wires from your factory, make it super-efficient, and know what all your tools and production lines are doing?”
In the UK, she identified logistics, travel, and manufacturing as key sectors for private 5G adoption. Further down the line, she pointed to the public sector as another potential area for deployment, citing hospitals and the defense sector as examples where private networks could drive major efficiency improvements.
With 5G now firmly established, Ainley’s comments highlight the industry’s ongoing challenge: turning technological advancements into meaningful improvements in connectivity, business efficiency, and consumer experience.
