2991: Inside Vodafone's Vision for 5G Standalone and UK Connectivity

[00:00:01] [SPEAKER_01]: How will the next generation of mobile technology redefine our digital world?

[00:00:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Well today I have the huge privilege of speaking with MG Pekori from Vodafone.

[00:00:15] [SPEAKER_01]: And she's going to be shedding light on the groundbreaking advancements of 5G Standalone or 5GSA.

[00:00:22] [SPEAKER_01]: So today I want to demystify 5GSA, talk about exactly what it is, the problems that it solves and how this technology promises to revolutionize network management and customization through capabilities like network slicing.

[00:00:38] [SPEAKER_01]: And also I want to explore how 5GSA can transform sectors as far and wide from healthcare, media, retail and so much more by ultimately offering real-time low latency connectivity.

[00:00:52] [SPEAKER_01]: Before we welcome our guest onto the podcast today though, delivering daily content to 140,000 of you wonderful monthly listeners across the globe is no small feat.

[00:01:03] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't want to take all the credit here because it wouldn't be possible without the backing of our dedicated sponsors and partners.

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[00:01:58] [SPEAKER_01]: That's kiteworks.com to get started today, but now it's time to dive into today's fascinating conversation with my guest.

[00:02:06] [SPEAKER_01]: So buckle up and hold on tight as I beam your ears all the way to London where today's guest is waiting to talk about all things 5GSA

[00:02:14] [SPEAKER_01]: and also the future of mobile networks and the potential that it holds for enhancing our everyday digital experiences.

[00:02:24] [SPEAKER_01]: So a massive warm welcome to the show. Can you tell everyone listening a little about who you are and what you do?

[00:02:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Hello Neel, it's wonderful to be together today. Thank you for inviting me to your podcast.

[00:02:37] [SPEAKER_00]: My name is Emma G. That stands for Maria Grazia or Mary Grace in English, Pecorari.

[00:02:45] [SPEAKER_00]: I lead the strategy business development and the wholesale business for Vodafone in the UK.

[00:02:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Vodafone is one of the mobile network operators in the UK. We serve 80 million customers.

[00:03:03] [SPEAKER_00]: We also have a broadband service for more than 1.3 million customers and growing.

[00:03:11] [SPEAKER_00]: And we were the first to market last year with 5GSA. Very excited about it and that's why I'm here today.

[00:03:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and I'm glad you mentioned that. It's one of the reasons I was excited to get you on here because every day we talk about a different subject

[00:03:29] [SPEAKER_01]: and try and demystify it, talk about it in a language that everyone understands.

[00:03:33] [SPEAKER_01]: And most people listening I would imagine will know all about 5G but 5GSA probably not so much.

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_01]: So what is 5GSA? What does it mean for Vodafone and also for the future of UK connectivity?

[00:03:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Great question Neel. And what I'd like to do is actually start with the last part of your question.

[00:03:53] [SPEAKER_00]: So really thinking about the future of connectivity but also what does mobile connectivity mean for us as customers?

[00:04:03] [SPEAKER_00]: And to do this I'd like to do a little bit of history because I think it's very important to put the 5GSA in context.

[00:04:10] [SPEAKER_00]: So if I go back to 2012, which is essentially at the start of 4G, the average UK customer used about 0.09 gigabytes of data.

[00:04:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Would you believe it? Which is something like 1-2 minutes a day of social media use. It's almost like incredible.

[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Fast forward to today the average UK customer uses around 8 gigabit of data which is between 2-3 hours a day of social media use.

[00:04:43] [SPEAKER_00]: So in other words really what we actually use the network for and what we use it for and the amount of data that we consume has grown actually something like 90 times over that period.

[00:04:59] [SPEAKER_00]: And fundamentally we're facing a tsunami of data use on the mobile network that has no equivalent in fixed.

[00:05:12] [SPEAKER_00]: And the fundamental enabler of this explosion of data usage has been the evolution in network technology.

[00:05:21] [SPEAKER_00]: So in 2012 was the start of 4G.

[00:05:27] [SPEAKER_00]: 2019 that's when the operator started launching 5G in the UK and now really we are at the next chapter of evolution of 5G which is 5G standalone.

[00:05:40] [SPEAKER_00]: We were to the first to launch last year and what the 5G standalone brings is a set of incremental capabilities in the network which are truly transformational and really, really exciting.

[00:05:58] [SPEAKER_00]: And so that's what I want to talk to you about what's the difference at technical level and actually then what does that mean in terms of what the people are going to be able to do.

[00:06:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah there's so many exciting things happening in this area at the moment I recently had trouble with my home broadband for example and I was tethering for my phone.

[00:06:18] [SPEAKER_01]: And I realized that the 5G connection was actually performing better than my home broadband so there's going to be a lot of big changes there but I'm curious what do you see as the most exciting capabilities that 5G standalone technology will bring to customers.

[00:06:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah so let me explain actually from a technical perspective what's the difference and then what does it mean in terms of usage right.

[00:06:39] [SPEAKER_00]: So fundamentally when we look at the quality of mobile network experience that's underpinned by different network components so you have the radio networks all the towers and the mast that you see on top of buildings and in fields etc.

[00:06:55] [SPEAKER_00]: And there are many, many thousands of them everywhere around the country so that's what we call the run radio access network then you have the back hole which is a set of cables and wireless asset that allow to aggregate all the network.

[00:07:09] [SPEAKER_00]: And then you have the core network which is essentially a combination of big physical pipes that aggregate and you know manage all this network but also very importantly the network intelligence all the functions that control the network and the sit at the core.

[00:07:28] [SPEAKER_00]: And those capabilities are really really important because fundamentally that's the brain in the network.

[00:07:34] [SPEAKER_00]: And with 5G, only 5G no standalone, the investment is fundamentally concentrated in the radio access part so what you have in all the mast is more efficient and more powerful equipment that enables mobile operator to use also greater

[00:07:59] [SPEAKER_00]: network management on different network interfaces.

[00:07:59] [SPEAKER_00]: So essentially it really increases capacity, but yes it does, it of course increases the efficiency of the network.

[00:08:06] [SPEAKER_00]: What a standalone that does is introduces new capabilities in the core virtualized

[00:08:20] [SPEAKER_00]: So standalone actually is there to signal that the capabilities of 5G in the core of the network are entirely separate,

[00:08:28] [SPEAKER_00]: a new technology and not interdependent from 4G.

[00:08:32] [SPEAKER_00]: And what that does, it enables overall to have a more efficient network that enables better experience,

[00:08:40] [SPEAKER_00]: but also with very different use cases.

[00:08:44] [SPEAKER_00]: And in that the use case that is often referred to as a very transformational one is the network slicing capability.

[00:08:54] [SPEAKER_00]: So what does that mean?

[00:08:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Is that you can create dedicated slices in the network, which is a way to use a section,

[00:09:04] [SPEAKER_00]: a capacity of the network, but in a way that has guaranteed the performance in terms of speed,

[00:09:10] [SPEAKER_00]: the latency or other for a certain use case and for a certain set of customers or users,

[00:09:16] [SPEAKER_00]: which is completely independent from what happens to all other customers who are using the network at the same time.

[00:09:24] [SPEAKER_00]: So it's almost like if you think about the big motorway, it creates a preferential lanes with the guaranteed speed of driving,

[00:09:34] [SPEAKER_00]: you know, up and down.

[00:09:36] [SPEAKER_00]: And so that greater flexibility really opens a huge amount of opportunities in terms of what you can really do with the mobile connectivity.

[00:09:48] [SPEAKER_01]: I had a similar conversation with Netgear about Wi-Fi 7 on the bandwidth issues there.

[00:09:54] [SPEAKER_01]: You mentioned how much data we were consuming.

[00:09:56] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that competition for bandwidth is such an important one now.

[00:10:00] [SPEAKER_01]: And in the average home, I suspect if you looked at how many devices were connected to your home route 10 years ago to now,

[00:10:08] [SPEAKER_01]: I would suspect there would have been three or four back then.

[00:10:10] [SPEAKER_01]: And now there is 50, 60, 70, 80 items there from doorbells to toasters to games consoles and everything.

[00:10:18] [SPEAKER_01]: And of course, all these devices are competing for bandwidth when you want to have that important work call.

[00:10:24] [SPEAKER_01]: And the reason I bring that up as well is one of the things I was reading about before you came on the podcast is that this

[00:10:29] [SPEAKER_01]: is a great opportunity for the UK's public buildings with this technology.

[00:10:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Can you can you expand on that for me?

[00:10:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Sure. And before I go into public buildings, let me just speak on the comment that you've made that truly the network

[00:10:47] [SPEAKER_00]: where there is fixed or mobile or in all these various forms is the nervous system of digital and our entire digital lives in a way really depend on

[00:10:58] [SPEAKER_00]: this ability to be connected and to connect devices in a way that is very seamless, high performance and highly dependable.

[00:11:07] [SPEAKER_00]: And really what the 5G essay does adds that extra bit of magic, if you will, to enhance the number of use cases.

[00:11:17] [SPEAKER_00]: And I will start covering

[00:11:21] [SPEAKER_00]: the examples of building infrastructure, etc.

[00:11:25] [SPEAKER_00]: But then I also want to cover other examples that really bring it to life how cool and exciting and transformative the ability to use this technology is.

[00:11:35] [SPEAKER_00]: So before I go into building to bring it to life a little bit more, let's think for example of infrastructure generally and let's think about the case of

[00:11:47] [SPEAKER_00]: let's say electricity grid.

[00:11:52] [SPEAKER_00]: So think about high voltage lines within an electricity substation.

[00:11:58] [SPEAKER_00]: So these stations are anywhere in the country and many times in very remote places, places that are not accessible by any other kind of network.

[00:12:07] [SPEAKER_00]: However, this is really highly critical infrastructure that needs to be managed on a reactive and proactive way extremely well.

[00:12:20] [SPEAKER_00]: And so for example where a network substation goes down the other substation in the grid that needs to be brought down and then brought back up in a very controlled manner.

[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_00]: So what does 5G but then even more 5G essay does it provides in a way that guarantee the speed but also that that piece of mind that that very valuable piece of equipment,

[00:12:42] [SPEAKER_00]: that piece of infrastructure is always connected at the right level with the right to speed and it's always on.

[00:12:48] [SPEAKER_00]: And so provides that layer of connectivity that enables to monitor that highly critical infrastructure.

[00:12:55] [SPEAKER_00]: So then you think about the combination of 5G with IoT so sensors and everywhere but also for example digital twins so that the ability to create a virtual representation of a certain environment.

[00:13:11] [SPEAKER_00]: And so be an hospital or a school or a dam or any really kind of infrastructure.

[00:13:20] [SPEAKER_00]: So then you have the ability to monitor, manage, reactively and proactively any kind of infrastructure in a way that is very consistent relies on the same technology doesn't need a patchwork of different type of connectivity to manage energy consumption

[00:13:42] [SPEAKER_00]: to avoid the falls to make it proactively to mitigate the falls reactively when they happen.

[00:13:50] [SPEAKER_00]: And so the benefit in power saving reduction in CO2 emission or just generally avoiding breakages and breakdown is really, really quite material.

[00:14:04] [SPEAKER_00]: And so when we think in particularly about the state of infrastructure in the UK generally be the three sorry at railway or electricity network or schools and hospital I really think that 5G provide this extra lever to really help us take care of these assets

[00:14:27] [SPEAKER_00]: in a way which is more efficient either in terms of economic environmental impact but also monetary impact.

[00:14:37] [SPEAKER_01]: And you mentioned so many important aspects of the critical infrastructure that we often take for granted from power grids to railways and schools etc.

[00:14:47] [SPEAKER_01]: And this got me gets me thinking what about the NHS how could hospitals benefit from these 5G powered technology and any examples you could share around them.

[00:14:56] [SPEAKER_00]: So absolutely so we have done we do what we have many collaborations and one of them is with the University of Coventry where essentially we you know with a number of with the university and with the panel we piloted a solution

[00:15:16] [SPEAKER_00]: whereby an lecturer using VR can provide a very immersive experience and goes into the human body.

[00:15:28] [SPEAKER_00]: And so that enables to provide the kind of real life 3D experience of going into the human body and seeing all the different paths and deliver a lecture to medical students to nurses wherever they are.

[00:15:43] [SPEAKER_00]: So they could they can be in a class in front of the PC they could be at home in front of the PC in front they could be on the move in front of the mobile.

[00:15:52] [SPEAKER_00]: And so and so again you have a solution which in a way can be it can work anywhere.

[00:15:59] [SPEAKER_00]: And if you do 5G essay can work with the guarantee the level of bandwidth, the level of speed to deliver the right level of experience because you want this to be low latency real time.

[00:16:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Now think about that the bat in a context of for example, removed field force or remove the healthcare assistance so people that need to go to see patients right the people that are on the move.

[00:16:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Imagine the opportunity where I'm actually visiting a patient or I could even be performing a procedure but I have someone elsewhere that that the come provide real time advise support monitoring and I can do it with a network and a capability through slicing that never lets me down.

[00:16:56] [SPEAKER_00]: I could as a doctor participate real time and actually being able to influence and interact with an operation happening in an hospital elsewhere.

[00:17:11] [SPEAKER_00]: So all of a sudden think about the opportunity of removing one obstacle and which is the lack of physical physical presence.

[00:17:22] [SPEAKER_00]: And if you think about the experience right or clunky sometimes it can be you know in getting hold of a healthcare professional in being visited etc.

[00:17:32] [SPEAKER_00]: You know the potential opportunity to offer a more immersive real life experience with connectivity which is safe consistent never lets you down but also removes the obstacle of physical distance whenever it is appropriate.

[00:17:51] [SPEAKER_00]: These are the kind of impossible these are the kind of experiments pilots innovation that is really at the at the at the center of healthcare provision but can be fields of force.

[00:18:07] [SPEAKER_00]: It's management and monitoring of equipment for example because you have a technician that can for example intervene remotely on or provide guidance remote remotely on an environment which is not very safe.

[00:18:27] [SPEAKER_00]: So you don't want too many people there.

[00:18:30] [SPEAKER_00]: So these are the set of opportunities

[00:18:33] [SPEAKER_00]: that 5G essay enables from a perspective of connectivity.

[00:18:41] [SPEAKER_00]: But there are many, many more that go beyond NHS,

[00:18:45] [SPEAKER_00]: go beyond the management of buildings

[00:18:47] [SPEAKER_00]: and really affect our life day to day

[00:18:52] [SPEAKER_00]: in ways we don't even think about,

[00:18:54] [SPEAKER_00]: but actually are there

[00:18:56] [SPEAKER_00]: and I love to talk to you about

[00:18:57] [SPEAKER_00]: a bit more of some example in the electric if you want them.

[00:19:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, absolutely.

[00:19:02] [SPEAKER_01]: I'd love to hear that because I think it really brings it

[00:19:04] [SPEAKER_01]: to life to hear these examples.

[00:19:05] [SPEAKER_01]: And one of the big themes of this podcast

[00:19:07] [SPEAKER_01]: is getting people thinking differently about technology,

[00:19:10] [SPEAKER_01]: especially areas that they don't automatically associate with.

[00:19:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. So for example, like one of the big advantages

[00:19:17] [SPEAKER_00]: of the network is that we move as humans.

[00:19:19] [SPEAKER_00]: We are out and about all the time.

[00:19:22] [SPEAKER_00]: So we travel to work, we travel to holiday,

[00:19:24] [SPEAKER_00]: we go to our everyday life,

[00:19:27] [SPEAKER_00]: but we also go to big events.

[00:19:30] [SPEAKER_00]: So for example, and just to give you an idea

[00:19:33] [SPEAKER_00]: of what's being demanded of mobile network

[00:19:37] [SPEAKER_00]: in the Taylor Swift concert in the Principality Stadium

[00:19:44] [SPEAKER_00]: that happened a couple of months ago,

[00:19:49] [SPEAKER_00]: 3.3 terabytes of data traveled

[00:19:53] [SPEAKER_00]: over the waterfall network on that night.

[00:19:57] [SPEAKER_00]: So that means that the people in the stadium

[00:20:01] [SPEAKER_00]: that were using the waterfall network probably consumed

[00:20:03] [SPEAKER_00]: that night what an average user would consume

[00:20:08] [SPEAKER_00]: in three to four weeks.

[00:20:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Wow.

[00:20:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Exactly that, right?

[00:20:13] [SPEAKER_00]: So we don't think about it,

[00:20:14] [SPEAKER_00]: but the mobile networks actually do pretty amazing things,

[00:20:18] [SPEAKER_00]: right?

[00:20:18] [SPEAKER_00]: But what happened is that also reveals

[00:20:22] [SPEAKER_00]: the strain that networks can be put on

[00:20:26] [SPEAKER_00]: and therefore the opportunity that 5GSA,

[00:20:29] [SPEAKER_00]: particularly with the slicing capability can create.

[00:20:32] [SPEAKER_00]: So for example, last year when we, with the coronation,

[00:20:37] [SPEAKER_00]: a waterfall partnered with ITN for the broadcast

[00:20:40] [SPEAKER_00]: of the coronation event.

[00:20:44] [SPEAKER_00]: And so when a camera streams a content

[00:20:49] [SPEAKER_00]: back into the studio gallery for broadcasting,

[00:20:53] [SPEAKER_00]: typically it's done, you have a van,

[00:20:56] [SPEAKER_00]: a truck connected to satellite,

[00:20:58] [SPEAKER_00]: and then the van is linked through a cable with the camera.

[00:21:01] [SPEAKER_00]: And if you think about it, like you see, right?

[00:21:04] [SPEAKER_00]: There's one with the satellite in many big outdoor events.

[00:21:08] [SPEAKER_00]: But what that means is that

[00:21:10] [SPEAKER_00]: it's a pretty clunky solution, you need a van.

[00:21:14] [SPEAKER_00]: It's expensive and you're also limited in your mobility

[00:21:16] [SPEAKER_00]: because the cameraman is tied by the cable to the van.

[00:21:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Now enter 5GSA, all of a sudden you don't need a van

[00:21:24] [SPEAKER_00]: linked to the satellite, all you need is a backpack

[00:21:27] [SPEAKER_00]: where you have a mobile connectivity through one thing.

[00:21:31] [SPEAKER_00]: But because it's 5GSA slicing,

[00:21:33] [SPEAKER_00]: you have guaranteed throughput and speed.

[00:21:36] [SPEAKER_00]: So even if you have many, many, many thousands of people

[00:21:40] [SPEAKER_00]: in the center of London

[00:21:43] [SPEAKER_00]: putting a lot of pressure on the network,

[00:21:45] [SPEAKER_00]: actually your slice is guaranteed.

[00:21:48] [SPEAKER_00]: And so all of a sudden you have a solution

[00:21:50] [SPEAKER_00]: which is much simpler, easier, not a van, a backpack,

[00:21:53] [SPEAKER_00]: you can move around, but with a very high confidence

[00:21:58] [SPEAKER_00]: of the underlying quality of connectivity.

[00:22:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Like in another example, so that's kind of pretty exciting

[00:22:05] [SPEAKER_00]: and sort of makes a difference, no?

[00:22:07] [SPEAKER_00]: And so like another example, very similar.

[00:22:09] [SPEAKER_00]: If you think about, again, imagine London for argument's

[00:22:12] [SPEAKER_00]: and you are in news, a report, a photo report

[00:22:16] [SPEAKER_00]: and you need to take pictures for events can be sport,

[00:22:21] [SPEAKER_00]: can be political, you need to send your pictures,

[00:22:24] [SPEAKER_00]: upload your pictures back into your news agency

[00:22:28] [SPEAKER_00]: and the news agencies pretty quickly.

[00:22:31] [SPEAKER_00]: And typically what happens today,

[00:22:35] [SPEAKER_00]: photo reporters have more than one SIM

[00:22:38] [SPEAKER_00]: and know which spot to go to upload their pictures

[00:22:42] [SPEAKER_00]: because you don't want to time out.

[00:22:44] [SPEAKER_00]: But with 5GSA, as long as you have a connection,

[00:22:48] [SPEAKER_00]: you're connected to the network,

[00:22:50] [SPEAKER_00]: you have a guarantee that your photo is uploaded

[00:22:53] [SPEAKER_00]: very, very quickly.

[00:22:54] [SPEAKER_00]: So really 5GSA has the opportunity of removing friction

[00:22:59] [SPEAKER_00]: in a way from enhance our opportunities

[00:23:04] [SPEAKER_00]: to participate at two events, to do our job,

[00:23:11] [SPEAKER_00]: to go about our lives in a way that without 5GSA,

[00:23:16] [SPEAKER_00]: you cannot.

[00:23:18] [SPEAKER_00]: And let me provide another example

[00:23:20] [SPEAKER_00]: which I think is really quite interesting

[00:23:21] [SPEAKER_00]: and really brings to life the real business value

[00:23:26] [SPEAKER_00]: and business benefit of 5GSA.

[00:23:28] [SPEAKER_00]: So Vodafone is the connectivity partner

[00:23:30] [SPEAKER_00]: to the Glaston event.

[00:23:34] [SPEAKER_00]: And as you know, at the Glaston,

[00:23:35] [SPEAKER_00]: there are thousands and thousands and thousands of people

[00:23:38] [SPEAKER_00]: like people everywhere.

[00:23:40] [SPEAKER_00]: So this year we will partner with a number of bars

[00:23:45] [SPEAKER_00]: at the event to connect the payment terminal.

[00:23:50] [SPEAKER_00]: So what happens when you have a payment terminal

[00:23:52] [SPEAKER_00]: in a typical event?

[00:23:54] [SPEAKER_00]: You pay with your card, but actually

[00:23:55] [SPEAKER_00]: the payment information is cached

[00:23:58] [SPEAKER_00]: and then the authorization is done later

[00:24:01] [SPEAKER_00]: when the terminal is connected to the network.

[00:24:03] [SPEAKER_00]: But what happens is that if a card is declined,

[00:24:08] [SPEAKER_00]: you don't know at the time

[00:24:09] [SPEAKER_00]: because the authorization happens later.

[00:24:12] [SPEAKER_00]: And typically there is a certain percentage

[00:24:14] [SPEAKER_00]: of transaction we get declined.

[00:24:17] [SPEAKER_00]: So if you're a retailer in a very large event

[00:24:21] [SPEAKER_00]: and you don't have real-time connectivity,

[00:24:24] [SPEAKER_00]: that's the cost of doing business,

[00:24:25] [SPEAKER_00]: a certain percentage of cards, payments

[00:24:29] [SPEAKER_00]: for whom you've provided,

[00:24:31] [SPEAKER_00]: with which you've provided the service

[00:24:33] [SPEAKER_00]: actually gets declined later so you don't get paid.

[00:24:37] [SPEAKER_00]: But if you have connectivity through slicing

[00:24:41] [SPEAKER_00]: because you need to do it in an environment

[00:24:44] [SPEAKER_00]: like Glaston or need because there's a lot of demand

[00:24:49] [SPEAKER_00]: on the network, then you have guaranteed connectivity

[00:24:51] [SPEAKER_00]: which means authorization happens real-time.

[00:24:54] [SPEAKER_00]: And so if a card is declined, it's declined real-time.

[00:24:58] [SPEAKER_00]: So that problem from a merchant perspective

[00:25:02] [SPEAKER_00]: is gone away.

[00:25:04] [SPEAKER_00]: And so really these are some of the many examples

[00:25:07] [SPEAKER_00]: where you can actually by enabling people

[00:25:11] [SPEAKER_00]: to do things real-time instead of later.

[00:25:14] [SPEAKER_00]: By enabling people to be more mobile

[00:25:16] [SPEAKER_00]: instead of being connected by a cable to a satellite

[00:25:19] [SPEAKER_00]: or some other form of telecom connectivity.

[00:25:22] [SPEAKER_00]: By providing really enhancing a remote monitoring

[00:25:28] [SPEAKER_00]: and remote management capabilities

[00:25:30] [SPEAKER_00]: like the example of schools, swimming pool, electricity grid,

[00:25:35] [SPEAKER_00]: but also being able to provide immersive experiences

[00:25:38] [SPEAKER_00]: that work anytime, anywhere across a nationwide network.

[00:25:44] [SPEAKER_00]: These are really the opportunities where 5G

[00:25:47] [SPEAKER_00]: but even more 5G standalone with a slicing capability

[00:25:52] [SPEAKER_00]: really makes a difference.

[00:25:54] [SPEAKER_00]: And I generally think this is very, very exciting

[00:25:58] [SPEAKER_00]: and open to a lot of opportunities

[00:26:00] [SPEAKER_00]: which we should go out and explore.

[00:26:04] [SPEAKER_01]: So many amazing examples there.

[00:26:06] [SPEAKER_01]: And I must admit as someone that's had 15

[00:26:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Glaston Ries under his belt,

[00:26:10] [SPEAKER_01]: I got very warm and fuzzy hearing that particular story.

[00:26:13] [SPEAKER_01]: And I've also heard that in particular

[00:26:15] [SPEAKER_01]: the problem that you described there

[00:26:17] [SPEAKER_01]: is a huge problem in the skies

[00:26:19] [SPEAKER_01]: with the cabin crew selling duty-free example

[00:26:22] [SPEAKER_01]: people coming on with cards that clearly don't work

[00:26:24] [SPEAKER_01]: but they're not authorizing the sky until it lands

[00:26:27] [SPEAKER_01]: and they have a lot of problems with that.

[00:26:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Apologies for going off good.

[00:26:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Does it work for those examples?

[00:26:34] [SPEAKER_00]: That's a different kind of connectivity

[00:26:37] [SPEAKER_00]: but yes, the principle is fundamentally the same.

[00:26:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Anything that can be provided from a mobile network grid

[00:26:44] [SPEAKER_00]: we yes, we're able to take away the problem.

[00:26:48] [SPEAKER_01]: And we probably set off a lot of light bulb moments

[00:26:51] [SPEAKER_01]: around the world, people listening to this.

[00:26:53] [SPEAKER_01]: So what challenge do you foresee

[00:26:55] [SPEAKER_01]: and anybody considering adopting

[00:26:57] [SPEAKER_01]: and implementing these 5G technologies?

[00:27:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Anything that any tips or advice

[00:27:02] [SPEAKER_01]: that you could share around them?

[00:27:05] [SPEAKER_00]: So I think if we think about the UK overall.

[00:27:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:27:13] [SPEAKER_00]: One aspect that is often not given a lot of consideration to

[00:27:19] [SPEAKER_00]: is that the UK is behind the majority of European countries

[00:27:26] [SPEAKER_00]: with regards to the quality of mobile connectivity

[00:27:30] [SPEAKER_00]: and you can measure it in terms of download, speed.

[00:27:34] [SPEAKER_00]: You can have very various measurements, coverage, etc.

[00:27:39] [SPEAKER_00]: So there are many reports from different associations

[00:27:44] [SPEAKER_00]: but if I think for example,

[00:27:46] [SPEAKER_00]: there is some report by OpenSignal

[00:27:49] [SPEAKER_00]: which is an independent party that monitors quality

[00:27:52] [SPEAKER_00]: of mobile and fixed infrastructure around the world.

[00:27:56] [SPEAKER_00]: We rank, I think we as the UK,

[00:28:00] [SPEAKER_00]: the eighth from the bottom in the ranking of something like

[00:28:03] [SPEAKER_00]: 35, 36 European countries with regards of mobile download speeds.

[00:28:10] [SPEAKER_00]: And indeed it's not uncommon for people to come from other parts

[00:28:14] [SPEAKER_00]: of Europe or other parts of the world

[00:28:17] [SPEAKER_00]: and be not particularly complementary

[00:28:19] [SPEAKER_00]: about the quality of mobile infrastructure in the UK.

[00:28:22] [SPEAKER_00]: London is not one of the best cities in the world

[00:28:26] [SPEAKER_00]: for quality of mobile infrastructure.

[00:28:29] [SPEAKER_00]: And why am I saying this?

[00:28:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Because I think one of the collective challenges

[00:28:34] [SPEAKER_00]: that we have is investment.

[00:28:37] [SPEAKER_00]: There's more investment than needs to happen in the network.

[00:28:39] [SPEAKER_00]: The 5G rollout is not complete

[00:28:43] [SPEAKER_00]: and certainly 5G's standalone rollout,

[00:28:46] [SPEAKER_00]: the incremental investment are not complete.

[00:28:49] [SPEAKER_00]: And it is such a priority that has been recognized

[00:28:56] [SPEAKER_00]: by every government,

[00:28:57] [SPEAKER_00]: so by the previous conservative government

[00:28:59] [SPEAKER_00]: in its wireless infrastructure

[00:29:02] [SPEAKER_00]: but also by the new labor government

[00:29:06] [SPEAKER_00]: in its various policy manifestos.

[00:29:13] [SPEAKER_00]: And so really being able to provide,

[00:29:20] [SPEAKER_00]: as I said before, the network is the nervous system of digital,

[00:29:24] [SPEAKER_00]: really ensuring that the quality of our mobile network

[00:29:28] [SPEAKER_00]: gives the UK what it deserves

[00:29:31] [SPEAKER_00]: and what our customer deserves is really, really key.

[00:29:34] [SPEAKER_00]: And that's why we've also

[00:29:40] [SPEAKER_00]: through the proposed merger between Vodafone and 3G,

[00:29:44] [SPEAKER_00]: we have taken a commitment to invest 11 billion

[00:29:48] [SPEAKER_00]: in the network over the course of the integration

[00:29:52] [SPEAKER_00]: to cover every school at every hospital

[00:29:57] [SPEAKER_00]: with the 5GSA by 2030

[00:30:02] [SPEAKER_00]: and to really reach a near nationwide coverage

[00:30:08] [SPEAKER_00]: of actually 99% of the population of 5GSA by 2034.

[00:30:15] [SPEAKER_00]: So really, long story to say that fundamentally

[00:30:22] [SPEAKER_00]: ensuring that the quality of the digital infrastructure,

[00:30:27] [SPEAKER_00]: including mobile network for the UK

[00:30:31] [SPEAKER_00]: is amazing and enables the UK really to lead

[00:30:36] [SPEAKER_00]: on the world stage and to enable innovation

[00:30:38] [SPEAKER_00]: and to enable greater efficiencies

[00:30:41] [SPEAKER_00]: and to enable reduction of CO2 emission

[00:30:46] [SPEAKER_00]: and to allow so many use cases

[00:30:49] [SPEAKER_00]: that are really improved the quality of lives

[00:30:52] [SPEAKER_00]: of day-to-day whether we are at the hospital

[00:30:55] [SPEAKER_00]: or at the big concert

[00:31:00] [SPEAKER_00]: or whatever, I think that's really the fundamental challenge

[00:31:07] [SPEAKER_00]: that we all need to work on.

[00:31:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I think that is a powerful moment to add on

[00:31:13] [SPEAKER_01]: and thank you so much for coming on here,

[00:31:15] [SPEAKER_01]: demystifying the world of 5G standalone

[00:31:18] [SPEAKER_01]: and bringing it to life with so many stories

[00:31:20] [SPEAKER_01]: of exciting capabilities, real-world use cases

[00:31:23] [SPEAKER_01]: and how you're doing that.

[00:31:24] [SPEAKER_01]: And before I let you go, I'm gonna ask you to leave

[00:31:26] [SPEAKER_01]: one final gift for everyone listening

[00:31:29] [SPEAKER_01]: as well as your insights.

[00:31:30] [SPEAKER_01]: We have an Amazon wish list where I asked my guests

[00:31:32] [SPEAKER_01]: to leave a book that means something to them

[00:31:35] [SPEAKER_01]: or they'd recommend that we can add

[00:31:36] [SPEAKER_01]: for everybody listening to check out.

[00:31:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Or I'm gonna ask you, what book would you like to add and why?

[00:31:43] [SPEAKER_00]: It's probably a book that has been suggested before

[00:31:46] [SPEAKER_00]: because it's not a particularly innovative suggestion

[00:31:50] [SPEAKER_00]: but let me put it anyways, The Alchemist

[00:31:53] [SPEAKER_00]: which I read a long, long,

[00:31:57] [SPEAKER_00]: it's a well-known novel a long, long time ago

[00:32:02] [SPEAKER_00]: but somehow the sense of opportunities,

[00:32:07] [SPEAKER_00]: the sense of human searching,

[00:32:12] [SPEAKER_00]: following one's own dreams

[00:32:15] [SPEAKER_00]: but also sense of life as possibilities

[00:32:19] [SPEAKER_00]: and also the sense that the universe can conspire

[00:32:24] [SPEAKER_00]: to give you what you're looking for.

[00:32:27] [SPEAKER_00]: I find it very, very magical in a way

[00:32:30] [SPEAKER_00]: and in a way very similar to the topic of innovation,

[00:32:36] [SPEAKER_00]: of change and also the use of technologies

[00:32:39] [SPEAKER_00]: to create new possibilities for the good of humanity

[00:32:44] [SPEAKER_00]: at the end of the day.

[00:32:45] [SPEAKER_00]: And I really think what that's,

[00:32:48] [SPEAKER_00]: although it doesn't always happen like that

[00:32:50] [SPEAKER_00]: but I do think fundamentally

[00:32:52] [SPEAKER_00]: that's why we should do innovation to enhance

[00:32:57] [SPEAKER_00]: how we as humans live and to make it better.

[00:33:02] [SPEAKER_01]: What a great choice, a great book.

[00:33:04] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't actually think it's on the list

[00:33:05] [SPEAKER_01]: so I'm gonna proudly add that

[00:33:07] [SPEAKER_01]: and I would recommend it to anybody listening

[00:33:10] [SPEAKER_01]: and if anyone listening also wants to find out more

[00:33:13] [SPEAKER_01]: about Vodafone 5G standalone capabilities, et cetera,

[00:33:17] [SPEAKER_01]: is there any way you'd like to point them

[00:33:19] [SPEAKER_00]: to find out more information?

[00:33:20] [SPEAKER_00]: If you go on our Vodafone website,

[00:33:22] [SPEAKER_00]: there's the whole host of research and publication

[00:33:27] [SPEAKER_00]: as well as announcements of all the interesting things

[00:33:32] [SPEAKER_00]: that we do day in and day out

[00:33:34] [SPEAKER_00]: to really launch new services,

[00:33:38] [SPEAKER_00]: prove more 5G SAI use cases across several industries.

[00:33:44] [SPEAKER_00]: So I would definitely recommend that as a soul

[00:33:46] [SPEAKER_00]: for those who are curious to know more

[00:33:49] [SPEAKER_00]: and also want to get inspired and say,

[00:33:51] [SPEAKER_00]: oh wow, I hadn't really thought about that.

[00:33:54] [SPEAKER_00]: That's a, that I can definitely,

[00:33:56] [SPEAKER_00]: there's a lot of really great videos and use cases

[00:33:59] [SPEAKER_00]: and great opportunity to learn.

[00:34:02] [SPEAKER_01]: Awesome, well I will add a link to all that material

[00:34:05] [SPEAKER_01]: and include a video on my website

[00:34:07] [SPEAKER_01]: where we will promote the episode

[00:34:09] [SPEAKER_01]: and so much we covered there in a short amount of time

[00:34:12] [SPEAKER_01]: but the big standout for me is this 5G standalone,

[00:34:15] [SPEAKER_01]: how it's going to bring along new capabilities

[00:34:17] [SPEAKER_01]: like network slicing which will enable network carriers

[00:34:21] [SPEAKER_01]: to customize connectivity services

[00:34:23] [SPEAKER_01]: for specific customers and use cases

[00:34:26] [SPEAKER_01]: and you provide it so many great examples there

[00:34:28] [SPEAKER_01]: of how it will effectively change the way

[00:34:31] [SPEAKER_01]: internet travels across the network

[00:34:33] [SPEAKER_01]: and is managed without impacting

[00:34:35] [SPEAKER_01]: the customer experience,

[00:34:36] [SPEAKER_01]: that experience that we all take for granted.

[00:34:39] [SPEAKER_01]: But more than anything,

[00:34:40] [SPEAKER_01]: just thank you for bringing it to life today

[00:34:41] [SPEAKER_01]: and a language everyone can understand.

[00:34:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks for your time today.

[00:34:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you Neil, lovely to be with you today.

[00:34:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you.

[00:34:48] [SPEAKER_01]: So as I wrap up my conversation with MG today,

[00:34:53] [SPEAKER_01]: so many big takeaways about Vodafone's 5G standalone technology

[00:34:57] [SPEAKER_01]: and I think it's evident that the possibilities

[00:34:59] [SPEAKER_01]: are both vast and transformative

[00:35:03] [SPEAKER_01]: from improving healthcare and media

[00:35:05] [SPEAKER_01]: to from boosting concert experiences

[00:35:08] [SPEAKER_01]: and at music festivals like Glastonbury.

[00:35:11] [SPEAKER_01]: 5GSA looks set to reshape the way that we both live and work

[00:35:15] [SPEAKER_01]: but having listened to our conversation today,

[00:35:18] [SPEAKER_01]: what are your thoughts on the potential impacts of 5GSA

[00:35:22] [SPEAKER_01]: in your industry or indeed daily life?

[00:35:24] [SPEAKER_01]: I'd love to hear your views

[00:35:26] [SPEAKER_01]: and you can do all that by simply emailing me

[00:35:29] [SPEAKER_01]: techblogwriteroutlook.com, Twitter, LinkedIn,

[00:35:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Instagram just at Neil C Hughes.

[00:35:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Let's keep this conversation going

[00:35:35] [SPEAKER_01]: because it is a topic that impacts each and every one of us.

[00:35:38] [SPEAKER_01]: But that is it for today I'm afraid.

[00:35:41] [SPEAKER_01]: I'll be back bright and early tomorrow with another episode,

[00:35:44] [SPEAKER_01]: another guest where we'll talk about a completely different topic

[00:35:47] [SPEAKER_01]: and I will hopefully learn as equally as much

[00:35:50] [SPEAKER_01]: about this topic as yourselves listening.

[00:35:52] [SPEAKER_01]: That's why I do this every day.

[00:35:54] [SPEAKER_01]: But more than anything, just thank you for listening

[00:35:56] [SPEAKER_01]: and until next time, don't be a stranger.