Utilities seem to have been bombarded with calls to embrace 5G during the global Covid-19 pandemic, when many of the use cases cited can be served equally well by 4G or often fixed communications. 5G will have much to offer the utilities sector, but some of that promise will only unfold as technologies and networks evolve and we should focus clearly on those use cases where real benefits can be achieved in the immediate future. There are already some fine demonstrations of applications in utilities that do exploit the more unique capabilities of 5G but these are relatively rare at present and the longer term goal should be to monitor developments and where relevant set in train infrastructure upgrades which…