UK Government publishes its Wireless 2030 report

A new report has been published by the Government Office for Science today which looks at how public service demand for wireless could change in the future, providing a tool for government to test policies and plans against. Factors such as technology development and public attitudes are combined into a set of scenarios that can be used to help develop more resilient policies in the area of wireless connectivity.

Good wireless connectivity is critical because of the vital public-service applications it underpins, as well as applications that could become more important in future, such as autonomous public and private transport vehicles and remote-health monitoring. The future in areas such as these and the demand for wireless public services is highly uncertain, and this is what is addressed in this report.

The scenarios in the Wireless 2030 report address several evidence gaps to help government develop strategies for meeting its ambitious objectives in the area of wireless connectivity. The report describes 4 plausible future worlds to help policymakers test their proposals and explores alternative ways in which wireless policy might develop in future. Of course, none of the scenarios will individually or perfectly describe the ‘real’ future – they are not intended to be predictions or forecasts. Instead, their power lies in their use as a tool to help policymakers picture future contexts. As such, they are intended as contextual backdrops for government departments to explore and assess strategic implications for their own priorities and policies around wireless connectivity.

Government Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said:

Wireless connectivity has become increasingly critical for different aspects of our lives, from keeping in touch, to getting around, to accessing a range of important services.

The Wireless 2030 Report sets out the evidence on the critical uncertainties around demand for wireless connectivity and the implications for delivery of wireless public services in 2030.

Read the Wireless 2030 report.