Australia is set to experience a ‘fourth industrial revolution’, sometimes called Industry 4.0, in which the lines between cyber and physical are blurred. Fifth-generation mobile network technology, or ‘5G’, will create the architecture which will underpin new uses and services. It will allow innovation by opening up possibilities for businesses, industries, services and leisure through ‘intelligent connectivity’.

5G technologies build upon the current 4G technology. Like previous generations of mobile technology, 5G uses radio waves to transmit information, although it ‘will offer significantly greater capacity and faster data speeds, significantly lower signal latency or delay, and will support much larger numbers of devices in a given area'.

The report discusses the rollout of 5G mobile technology in Australia, and examines the challenges raised, the role of governments at all levels and the importance of partnerships. Community concerns over the rollout of 5G are discussed, and include concerns over potential health effects, the impact of the deployment on the environment, and fears of privacy of personal data.

The report also looks at what 5G can do at a broad level, and highlights the capacity and capability of 5G. The immediate and medium-term use cases of 5G for enterprise and government are also highlighted. The consumer experience of 5G is also discussed.