As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, putting immense pressure on healthcare systems and economies around the world, connectivity needs have changed abruptly. The response to COVID-19 has significantly affected connectivity trends, mobile technology use cases and the outlook for 5G deployment and adoption.

This paper, the first in a series that examines the effects of mobile technology on the response to COVID-19, highlights early examples of 5G technology being used during this time and assesses the outlook for the expanded use of 5G in an era when ubiquitous, high-bandwidth connectivity has become more critical than ever.

Global analysis of connectivity during the COVID-19 pandemic has found that connectivity trends have been affected by COVID-19 in five key areas:

1. A massive, global shift to remote working
2. Replacement of classroom learning with remote schooling
3. Substitution of in-person gatherings for online socialisation
4. Shifts in commerce and retail in response to sudden changes in consumer behaviour
5. The global public-health crisis response