A 5G transformation takes two to tango - technology and regulatory innovation

Covering urban areas with dense small cell networks at 3.6 GHz will not just deliver Gb/s connectivity but the most powerful mobile "data translocation engine" the world has ever seen. It has the potential to transform industries including the media industry. But the investment gap to deliver it is huge. Nobody believes that four competing mobile operators will each roll out independently 1m small cells across our cities and towns. We must do things a different way. With the right mix of regulatory innovation as much as 90% of the cost could be taken out of providing urban wide 5G coverage. Regulatory innovation (over licensing) is also going to be needed to develop a strong 5G indoor story. But who is going to lead this regulatory innovation and when do we need to start the debate on the optimal mix of cooperation and competition needed to secure this infrastructure leap forward?