IoT can help deliver cheaper, more responsive public services

By Anne Sheehan, Director of Vodafone Business UK

Just as technology in our homes and workplaces is changing the way we live and do our jobs, it is also transforming the villages, towns and cities around us. Faster, more reliable mobile coverage, full fibre broadband and the Internet of Things are not only changing how we interact with our public services, but the very fundamentals of how they operate.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is making it easier and cheaper for decision makers to deliver responsive, high quality services to residents and businesses across the UK. Whether it is CCTV that also measures congestion and pollution, street lights that automatically adapt to the weather, or bins that announce when they need emptying, avoiding unnecessary collections, new technologies are making an impact.

Vodafone is proud to be the global leader in Internet of Things technology, with over 70 million devices connected around the world. Whether it’s this extensive grid of connected sensors or our 5G and full fibre networks, we see the difference that these technologies make to people’s lives every day. I am delighted to present this report from the Social Market Foundation, which serves as an important intervention in the debate on how best to maximise the benefits of these technologies for all of us.