The Impact of 5G on Remote Work and Business Efficiency in Hong Kong

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many of the conveniences we took for granted before 2020, transforming living rooms into makeshift offices. Before 2020, less than 4% of employees spent some of their work time working remotely. Now, nearly 1 in 5 employees are working from home. The factors contributing to this shift are many, but the key takeaway is that companies have discovered that productivity is just as high for those working from home (WFH) as it is in the office.

Another driver for remote work is the availability of 5G. While many in the developed world have access, 5G means that employees will no longer be tied to a specific office or location to do their work. With its impact on remote work, work-from-anywhere becomes a reality. In this article, we explore the benefits 5G provides. We'll look at real-life scenarios businesses are implementing to improve efficiency in their workflow and the practical steps you can take to prep your organisation to harness 5G's full potential in the coming years.

The Benefits of 5G for Remote Work

5G has significantly transformed the way we work, offering various advantages that enhance productivity and efficiency.

Enhanced Connectivity

Compared to 4G, 5G speeds are 20 times faster – giving employees real-time access to data, better network and IoT capabilities. For businesses, it means more opportunities to optimize workflow. With 5G’s low latency of 1 millisecond, businesses can implement real-time automation, remote operations and augmented reality experiences, optimizing business operations in industries from manufacturing to healthcare.

Seamless Communication

The introduction of 5G has given individuals living in urban and suburban areas access to mobile broadband that rivals fixed-line connections. This connectivity means you no longer have to go to the office to access business broadband speeds. You can move from one location to the next, taking your work with you uninterrupted.

Increased Productivity

5Gs low latency and reliable data transfer capabilities support a wide range of apps required for remote work. You no longer need to spend valuable time looking for WiFi, since unified communications, project management, and virtual desktops can now go where you go.

The impact of 5G is already being felt, with the biggest short-term benefits being network ubiquity and reliability. This enhances individual productivity and reshapes organizational structures, allowing different teams to decentralize operations and tap into a global talent pool without geographical constraints.

How 5G Boosts Business Efficiency

5G’s positive impact on businesses includes enhanced efficiency, intelligent information processing and reduced expenses.

Streamlined Operations

5G offers businesses the potential for improved connectivity. With speeds of up to 20 Gbps, benefits include swift data exchange and uninterrupted real-time interactions. This almost instant connectivity lets businesses explore automation and remote operation while also supporting Internet of Things (IoT) deployments. This directly contributes to streamlining business processes and enhancing efficiencies across industries.

Data Management

With the ability to support approximately 1 million devices per square kilometre, 5G’s massive machine type communications enable limitless connections for enterprise-scale smart tech solutions. Some other ways 5G boosts business data management include:

• Real-time analytics: Ultra-low latency lets businesses instantly process data, accelerating the decision-making process.

• Edge computing optimization: 5G reduces the need for centralized data centers, improving efficiency and security.

• Improved IoT linking: 5G’s vast network enables users to connect devices easily with one another and catalyses the adoption of smart technologies in both industrial and consumer applications.

• Faster data transfer: Faster upload and download rates for large files, make it easier to use cloud storage and apps.

• Network slicing: 5G lets users customize their networks, creating dedicated bandwidth channels for specific tasks. This improves data management and security, much like having special protected lanes on a digital highway.

Cost savings

By improving device communication and downloads, 5G can help reduce operational costs and lower overhead expenses for businesses. For instance, 5G virtual assistants can be trained to handle common inquiries, allowing businesses to focus human resources on higher-value tasks. 5G also allows online and brick-and-mortar stores to actively track their inventory through IoT sensors, reducing overstocking and stockouts while improving overall budget management.

The Hong Kong government has also introduced the Subsidy Scheme for Encouraging Early Deployment of 5G initiative to encourage companies to adopt 5G. Under this scheme, the government will subsidize 50% of the cost needed to deploy 5G in an approved project - subject to a $500,000 cap. This makes it more accessible for businesses to implement 5G.

Real-world applications in Hong Kong

While still relatively new in Hong Kong, 5G’s impact is already being felt across many sectors.

Case study

At Kowloon Motor Bus Company Ltd (KMB), a local bus operator, 5G is used in their cameras at major interchanges to collect data on the number of passengers waiting in queues. This data is then sent to the central computer, and if the number of passengers exceeds a certain threshold, they can deploy more buses to compensate. Similarly, if the queue is short, they can reduce the frequency of bus deployments.

The resulting benefits are three-fold:

• Improved resource allocation: The real-time data collection allows KMB to optimize bus deployment based on actual demand leading to a decrease in unnecessary fuel consumption and vehicle wear during low-demand periods. During peak hours additional buses can be quickly deployed, ensuring adequate service capacity.

• Enhanced passenger experience: Shorter wait times during busy periods can result in more consistent and reliable service. This can reduce overcrowding in bus stations and on busses, as supply is more closely matched to demand, which in turn increases customer satisfactions.

• Environmental benefits: 5G optimized schedules result in fewer empty or near-empty buses on the road and reduced emissions. This smaller carbon footprint supports Hong Kong's eco-friendly sustainability goals and also makes our air cleaner and easier to breath.

Industry Impact

5G is showing its value in Hong Kong’s financial landscape as well. Its low latency, near - instant communication is changing the way high-frequency trading platforms operate, optimizing algorithms with microsecond precision. Mobile banking has also improved, becoming more responsive, allowing users to manage their portfolios easily, while on-the-go.

In healthcare, 5G has allowed doctors to perform remote consultations with high-definition video while easily accessing patient data. Wearable devices connected via 5G also provide up-to-the-second health monitoring, triggering alerts and addressing issues before they escalate.

Preparing your business for 5G

To harness the full potential of 5G, you’ll need to focus on upgrading your digital infrastructure. This involves not only updating hardware, but also rethinking how your network is set up to handle the increase in speed. Implementing edge computing, which is the process of bringing data processing closer to where the data is stored, also helps reduce latency, improving overall network speed.

For businesses looking to leverage 5G, devices like the HP Dragonfly offer built-in 5G connectivity and ultra-light designs, enabling teams to stay connected from anywhere. These devices show us how hardware can be optimized to take full advantage of 5G networks, combining mobility with high-speed connectivity. Other methods to help prepare your business for 5G include:

• Migrating to cloud-native apps: Migrating to cloud applications lets businesses fully utilize the benefits of a faster network. These apps are designed to be scalable, easily adapting to network conditions, which makes them ideal for 5G.

• Improving on cybersecurity: The more interconnected your network is, the more it is prone to breaches. Having solid security measures like AI-threat detection protocols and encrypted communication channels can help protect sensitive data.

• Company training: Equip your team with skills needed to leverage 5G in their work. This includes providing training in areas like AI and data analytics so that employees can make full use of improved network speeds.

Conclusion

5G technology in Hong Kong is already changing the way we work, supporting quicker connections so that things like video calls, uploading files and connecting devices can be done faster. But obstacles like infrastructure development costs and technological complexities mean 5G can’t be deployed instantly, so it’s not available everywhere yet.

However, from a practical logistics viewpoint, 5G means mobile networks can finally replace wired networks, which can allow organisations to work from once-inaccessible areas. With the right hardware, preparations and training in place, 5G can be an advantage for companies seeking to expand and enhance their remote collaboration capabilities