93 Percent Of Business Leaders Want 4G In UK

New research has revealed that 93 percent of business leaders in the UK want to see a 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network launched in the UK.

The survey was carried out by Coleman Parkes and commissioned by Everything Everywhere, which is keen to stress the benefits of LTE ahead of the potential launch of a controversial 4G network on its existing spectrum.

Increased productivity

According to the research, 86 percent said that a 4G network would increase productivity, while 94 percent believed that it was necessary to remain competitive and protect jobs. More than half of respondents said that greater levels of flexible working was the most anticipated benefit of 4G, while 29 percent said that it would help them to engage with customers and colleagues through channels such as mobile TV, video conferencing and CRM applications.

Another 27 percent said that the ability to securely update and access documents in the cloud would be the primary benefit for them.

“In today’s global economy, UK businesses need 4G networks to help them be more productive and compete on the international stage,” said Martin Stiven, vice president of B2B at Everything Everywhere. “Half of the countries on the G20 list of the world’s biggest economies already have 4G, leaving British businesses at risk of falling behind rivals.”

Previous research has indicated that British businesses stand to lose hundreds of millions of pounds a year due to the delay in auctioning off spectrum allocated for 4G networks, but Everything Everywhere was given Ofcom’s provisional blessing ahead of a consultation to launch a 4G network before the auction.

Rivals such as Vodafone, O2 and Three have condemned the decision, arguing that the full benefits of 4G would only be realized if more than one operator was offering such a service. Three has even said that it is considering legal action over the decision.

Last month, Everything Everywhere launched 4G Britain, a ‘not-for-profit’ initiative aimed at providing information about 4G to interested businesses and individuals. However it has not secured the involvement of the other major mobile operators, leading to accusations that it is little more than a lobbying effort.

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