5G Research Report 2019: The enterprise is eager to adopt, despite cost concerns and availability

5G: The next-generation wireless network is finally a reality, and businesses remain eager to embrace this new technology. 5G will be popularized via telecom carriers and the marketing of wire-cutting services, as well as connecting the Internet of Things (IoT), edge computing, and analytics infrastructure with minimal latency. In December 2018 through January 2019, TechRepublic Premium surveyed 164 professionals to better understand how companies plan to use 5G and how soon they plan to invest in it.

Survey respondents answered the following questions:

  • When does your company/organization plan to use 5G technology?
  • How do you think 5G deployment will affect your business?
  • What are some ways your company/organization plans to use 5G?
  • How is your company/organization preparing for 5G deployment?
  • Can your company/organization’s existing/legacy infrastructure systems take advantage of 5G?
  • If your company/organization is not planning to use 5G, what are the reasons?

Survey results showed that the majority of respondents (85%) either use 5G technology currently or plan to adopt it sometime in the future. Introducing new technologies and faster mobile transfers represent the two biggest reasons why respondents plan to introduce 5G. For example, 58% of respondents expect 5G to provide better connections for IoT applications and improving content delivery. While 23% of respondents intend to use 5G to enable smart vehicles.

5G enthusiasm did not spread to all of the survey respondents. A minority of respondents do not foresee adopting 5G tech. Of those respondents, 36% are taking a wait-and-see approach to the technology. Not being able to access 5G technology remains a large hindrance to adoption for 61% of respondents, and 53% of respondents cite the price tag associated with new technologies from stopping them from moving forward with 5G deployment.

Nevertheless, the majority of respondents agree that 5G is inevitable, and they are preparing for it accordingly. This could mean looking at ways 5G can improve upon existing technology or setting aside integration concerns and re-platforming legacy applications for cloud-based access. Interestingly, 21% of respondents plan not to prepare for the new technology at all.

To read all of the results from the survey, plus analysis, download the full report here: TechRepublic special feature. For details on future TechRepublic Premium surveys, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

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January 30, 2019
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