How to boost your mobile teams' potential with 5G

As the world has shifted to digital, businesses everywhere are embracing innovative tools and technology to enable flexible work. Underpinning that transformation, mobile connectivity has become essential for field operations across different industries. From healthcare to logistics, businesses are now leveraging powerful 5G technology to drive operational efficiency and foster growth.

Offering significantly faster data speeds, a drastic reduction in latency from 4G and greater capacity, 5G gives businesses the opportunity to transform how their mobile teams operate. Ideal for bandwidth-intensive tasks, mobile teams are empowered to seamlessly access and share large files, participate in high-definition video conferencing and use cloud-based applications and software regardless of where they are.

Speaking to 400 UK businesses with 50-250 employees, we discovered the latest advantages connectivity is driving: from improved productivity and increased flexibility to enhanced communication and greater access to crucial information. When asked whether 5G will play an important role in the years to come, nearly nine-in-ten (89%) agreed. Let’s explore how this might look for medium-sized businesses, with a focus on those with mobile teams.

Business today is fast moving. As economic pressures and customer expectations continue to rise, there is growing demand for efficient and reliable solutions. Today, mobile teams need real-time access to information without barriers.

With next-level connectivity, businesses are empowered to access customer insights, work updates and legacy information at the touch of a button – meaning business operations can run smoothly. More than one-third of respondents (36%) said enhanced connectivity gives them real-time access to data, which keeps teams effectively connected to the latest information, as and when they need it.

Construction teams are able to assess the latest blueprints, manufacturing teams can engage in remote asset monitoring, while health and social care workers have critical access to vital patient information.

For plant wholesalers Double H Nurseries, one of the largest orchid growers in the UK, connectivity helps teams work effectively and securely on cloud-based systems. Whether for quality checks, monitoring new plant varieties, or updating ERP systems – affordable and data-driven contracts are allowing for remote working flexibility and security – whether in the greenhouse, at home, or on the move.

As Europe’s leading mobile cybersecurity experts, CWSI stressed the importance of effective security platforms with the increase in use of mobile tools:

“The groundbreaking evolution of 5G [including 5G-enabled devices] provides fantastic benefits to organisations and the productivity of mobile teams. However, at the same time, with a 94% increase in phishing and scam activity since 2020, ensuring cybersecurity and reliability across every device is essential for the protection of sensitive corporate data. This is something services like Three Mobile Protect do effectively.”

– Mark Mitchell, CTO, CWSI

For many medium-sized businesses, successful tech integration – and the connected infrastructure it requires – is facilitating next-level customer service. More than a third (33%) of travel, transport and logistics businesses stated that connectivity helps them to put the customer first, while even more (43%) said it helps make services faster and more reliable.

For facilities management business 3RiO, 5G connectivity helps eliminate added time spent waiting on the delivery of security footage. Processing, uploading, and sharing videos to customers previously took days – with 5G this has been reduced to seconds.

Instant communication channels mean important details around jobs can be collated on demand, and customers can be informed on the go rather than as and when mobile workers return to an office or workplace. This is true for growing company LV Logistics, where many functions of the business are migrating to the cloud.

“5G Connectivity from Three Business is helping ensure a seamless transition with digitisation and gives us the ability to connect as and when we need to. We depend on instant reactivity, something constant connectivity is a critical enabler of.”

– Lee Atkins, IT Manager, LV Logistics

While mobile tech enables better internal communication, it also means customers can get alerts and updates without needing to contact someone directly, saving hours of work and making the whole process more efficient.

Mobile teams are often going between multiple locations and communicating with customers every day. As demand for services across industries like retail, healthcare, and transport increases, so too does the need to track the progress of daily jobs and projects with location-based services.

In logistics and engineering, businesses are embracing tracking services to enable real-time monitoring of location, whether for assets, vehicles, or employees. Not only do tracking services help ensure seamless operations while teams are on the move, but can enhance safety, build trust, and foster transparency.

For civil engineering company Jones Bros, connectivity is playing a vital role in enabling the real-time monitoring of remote equipment.

“Three Business connectivity is crucial for optimising our civil engineering operations through the integration of IoT devices and sensors. This facilitates real time monitoring of equipment, materials, and site conditions, enabling predictive maintenance and improving safety and efficiency.”

– Director, Jones Bros

For market-leading cargo airline West Atlantic UK, reliable connectivity is enabling the seamless unification of teams located all across the world. Pilots need to be able to access critical data and the latest flight information while on the move, something connectivity helps them achieve:

“We use Three mobile data to ensure we have the latest information at our fingertips. This enables us to plan efficiently and safely to provide the service our customers expect.”

– Grant Halliday, Group IT Manager, West Atlantic UK

At the same time, location-based services drive real-time customer engagement and insights into customer behaviour. Retail, media, and marketing businesses can use location-based applications to hyper-target customers with experiences and offers most relevant to them.

As more businesses strive to become digital-first, 5G connectivity presents a game-changing opportunity to empower mobile teams. More frequent use of mobile tools and digital platforms for day-to-day processes will require strong connectivity underpinning it, a gap that 5G can fill. According to our research, 86% of medium-sized businesses are set to increase their investment in technology and digitisation over the next two years, meaning plans to drive efficiency are already in motion. To make any investment worthwhile it’s important to:

• Establish the right digital foundations to build from by ensuring fast and reliable connectivity
• Ensure your teams are able to stay in constant communication on the go, with the latest digital platforms
• Identify weak spots in business operations where automation and digital solutions can replace manual tasks to drive efficiencies

Choose Three Business as your trusted connectivity partner and unlock the full potential of your mobile workforce. With 99% outdoor coverage across the UK and a suite of innovative solutions, including Truly Unlimited data and cybersecurity protection, Three Business empowers organisations to thrive in a connected world.

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