The Impending 5G Era and Its Likely Impact on Society

This paper looks at the emergence of the fifth generation of wireless networks, commonly referred to by the acronym 5G, from a perspective informed by the literature on digital divides and digital inequality. 5G has been designed with the goal of minimising inequalities in physical access, in particular differences in access that arise as a consequence of the rural-urban divide. Together with the Internet of Things, 5G is likely to usher in a new era of economic growth, and to lead to general improvements in quality of life. However, the impact of 5G on socio-economic status is not so clear cut. In some instances, 5G is likely to magnify social inequality, while in other instances it is likely to narrow social inequality. 5G also has the potential to alter existing socio-economic hierarchies, and this paper cautions policy makers and social elites to minimise the negative impacts of attendant social transformations.