5G is the fastest-growing mobile generation of all time, and security and privacy are pivotal to the technology’s next phase. Ericsson’s Chief Product Security Officer Mikko Karikytö explains why 5G is the most capable platform for governments and enterprises to manage digital security and change.

What can you tell us about the pace of digitalization today?
There are no signs this development will slow down in any way. It’s clear that the capabilities provided by existing mobile networks have helped us to work from home during the pandemic, as I’ve been doing during this period. But there are some differences across sectors and size of enterprise.

The World Economic Forum reports that 84 percent of employees in white-collar industries have experienced rapid digitalization and shifted to working from home. At the same time, micro, small, and medium-sized businesses – which account for 80 percent of all enterprises – have not had the same agility and ability to provide the means for their employees to work from home.

As 5G is deployed globally it will start to enable even the smallest players to jump on board and get their businesses running fully digital. I think that’s a necessity for these businesses, and we’re going to see fast growth going forward.