What’s next for wireless connectivity investment in Europe?

Europe has always been at the heart of wireless technologies, from Marconi’s very first wireless transmission in 1897. Back then that initial radio transmission transformed the world and wireless connectivity continues to do so today.

Written by
Jan Kämpfer
Marketing Director Panasonic Connect Europe

The advent of 5G, the evolution of WiFi, and the innovation around Bluetooth low energy and Long Range Wide Area Networks are all driving the connected world in ways that would have been hard to imagine for those wireless pioneers. For today’s business leaders responsible for making decisions on technology investment, this constant pace of change presents enormous opportunities, but also challenges.

That’s why the latest research on wireless technology, titled Next Connections and commissioned by Panasonic Connect Europe, is a must read for decision makers. So, what does it reveal?

A route to productivity

First and foremost, business leaders see investment in a wider range of wireless network technologies as a route to productivity. They expect to see an average 32% boost in productivity in the three years after implementation.

36% of respondents say they believe 5G is the most important investment for their business, with private campus networks more popular than public – probably due to security and management concerns.

Just over one in five respondents (22%) view WiFi 6 as the most important type of technology. A substantial upgrade over its predecessor, it offers faster connections and improved resilience for networks with a high connected device load.

Interest in Bluetooth and LoRaWAN was at a similar level, as organizations seek the right technology for specialist applications in their own sectors, such as supply chain logistics and manufacturing.

There is also evidence that this is a crucial period in wireless technology decision-making and adoption, with the majority of organizations in the consideration or planning stage.

Barriers remain

However, it’s not all plain sailing as our research shows that decision-makers see several barriers to progress. Just under a quarter (24%) of those surveyed said they have concerns about the IT security implications, while 22% are worried about interoperability and/or connectivity with existing IT infrastructure.

One in five respondents are concerned about the manageability of the wireless network technology and the same proportion reports a lack of confidence and a lack of internal IT people resources and skills.

It appears that the wireless industry has a role to play in supporting organizations with expertise and education to instil greater confidence and plug some of the resource gaps. But overall, the picture for wireless appears positive, with a strong appetite for innovation and advanced deployments to power the digital, connected future of business.

Why not download the full executive summary for more information and detailed analysis by vertical industry sector to understand which wireless technologies business decision maker are prioritising for your industry?

Find out more about the European Research

What’s next for wireless connectivity investment in Europe?

A route to productivity

Barriers remain

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