Maybe It's Not 5G Use Cases We Lack – But Better Questions
For almost a decade, the telecom industry has been asking the same question: How do we actually make money from 5G?
From remote surgery to self-driving cars and smart ports, we’ve seen no shortage of ambitious use cases. The presentations have been impressive. The prototypes promising.
And yet. When the excitement fades. We’re back to where we started: Connectivity. SIM cards. Data plans. The same model we had with 4G, just with a bigger pipe.
It’s familiar. It works. But is it all we’re going to do with one of the most advanced network technologies ever built?
I believe we're asking the wrong questions
The industry keeps focusing on ROI, network optimization, and subscription logic. But what if the real barrier isn’t technical – but mental?
When we ask, “how do we monetize our 5G investments?”, we unconsciously look for answers that fit into the old framework.
Understandable, yes. But maybe that’s what’s keeping us stuck
Maybe use cases aren’t found – they’re created.
Traditionally, the approach has been: “Let’s see what the technology can do – and who’s willing to pay for it.”
But what if we flipped the question?
What if instead we asked: “Who has a problem that only 5G can solve – and doesn’t know it yet”?
Ultra-low latency, slicing, private networks, edge computing – these are powerful capabilities. But they only become business opportunities and create values when someone turns them into something that couldn’t exist before.
Innovation Needs New Voices
One reason we may be circling the same ideas is that the thinking around 5G often comes from similar places. Many of the experts shaping telecom strategies today share similar backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinking.
That doesn’t mean the ideas are wrong – but it can limit the range of questions we ask.
True innovation happens when we bring together diverse minds from across the ecosystem – technologists, business thinkers, creatives, and even those outside our industry entirely.
We don’t need to abandon expertise.
We just need to expand the room.
Let’s shift focus.
From ROI to return on imagination
From network as infrastructure to network as enabler
From “more of the same” to “something entirely different”
5G isn’t just a new technology - It’s a new opportunity. And it starts with the questions we dare to ask.
We are not just building the networks of tomorrow, but unlocking what’s possible today. Let’s keep pushing boundaries.
#5G #Telecom #NetworkInnovation #Connectivity #DigitalTransformation #FutureOfNetworks #3Danmark #Telco #InnovationLeadership #TechStrategy #EcosystemThinking #ReturnOnImagination
Ingénieur en électromecanique
2moThis really hits the core issue: the technology is moving fast, but our mindset is stuck in the past. 5G shouldn't be limited to SIM cards and data plans we need to open the door to fresh ideas, even from outside the telecom world. Innovation doesn’t always come from the experts, sometimes it comes from those who see things differently💡📡
Automatic 5G AI-based RF planning tools ➡️ accelerating 5G RAN deployment ➡️ optimizing time- and cost-efficiency. Digital Twin software ➡️ streamlining the project's journey from concept to completion.
2moFrom my perspective, this stems not only from a lack of imagination or a focus on monetization, but also from more mundane factors, such as unrealistic formal and legal constraints and an inertia in approaching new challenges and opportunities with old methods. For example, in many Polish municipalities (400), private 5G networks (3.9-4.2 GHz band) are permitted at a max power of 33 dBm and antenna heights of 10 meters. These parameters severely limit the usability and, therefore, the profitability of implementing such networks. Also, the planning process itself based on 2.5D spatial data (DSM, Nadir LiDAR) leaves much to be desired (as I write here https://www.linkedin.com/posts/grzegorzhawrot_private5g-networkplanning-smartindustry-activity-7350867500017815553-cJxz?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAABPD6VgBow6kTgDDwXnugFBUFtPsiQcLHpY), and the availability of precise, open 3D data (photogrammetric models) is still limited.
Shifting from ROI to Return on Imagination could totally open up a treasure trove of innovative ideas! It's all about breaking out of established norms and inviting fresh perspectives to really see what 5G can do beyond just faster speeds.
Account Manager at Analog Devices
3moI fully agree Stefan! The use cases are not found ,but created. Likewise use case/business development is a journey, with trial and error.
Country Manager Nordics | Head of Telco Solutions & Business Growth | Head of Network Services & Operations
3moCompletely aligned — the 5G promise won’t be fulfilled through legacy thinking. At TechMahindra, we see 5G not just as a network upgrade but as a programmable, cloud-native platform that must be monetized beyond connectivity. The value lies in capabilities like network slicing, MEC, URLLC, and service orchestration — enabling vertical-specific platforms across smart manufacturing, critical infrastructure, energy, and beyond. To truly monetize, operators need to expose network capabilities through APIs, partner across domains, and shift from ARPU-driven models to outcome-based monetization — whether it’s reducing factory downtime, enabling autonomous mobility, or accelerating digital twins in logistics. At TechMahindra, we are working with global CSPs to build such 5G-enabled ecosystems — combining OSS/BSS transformation, AI/ML-driven service assurance, and co-creation with hyperscalers and enterprises. 5G monetization won’t come from selling bandwidth — it will come from selling capabilities. And that requires shifting from telco to techco thinking.