Trade ties between the two countries have been increasing for over a decade. The election of Donald Trump for a second term means the relationship could now become even closer. Going to space could harm human health (7:57). And why Britain has such miserable mobile-phone service (14:43). Runtime: 20 min

Trade ties between <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2024/11/17/brazil-courts-china-as-its-musk-feud-erupts-again?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners">the two countries</a> have been increasing for over a decade. The election of Donald Trump for a second term means the relationship could now become even closer. <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2024/10/30/space-may-be-worse-for-humans-than-thought?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners">Going to space</a> could harm human health (7:57). And why Britain has such miserable <a href="https://www.economist.com/britain/2024/11/11/the-rich-country-with-the-worst-mobile-phone-service?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners">mobile-phone service</a> (14:43). Runtime: 20 min

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The Intelligence

Brazil and China are cosying up after Trump’s election 

Rio brand: why Brazil is courting China

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Jason Palmer [00:00:10] Hello and welcome to the intelligence from The Economist. I’m Jason Palmer.

Jason Palmer [00:00:10] Hello and welcome to the intelligence from The Economist. I’m Jason Palmer.

Rosie Blau [00:00:14] And I’m Rosie Blau every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

Rosie Blau [00:00:14] And I’m Rosie Blau every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

Jason Palmer [00:00:25] You probably know that astronauts have to work pretty hard to keep their muscle and bone mass up, given the weak gravity up there. But there are plenty of other health risks. We look at new research that adds a particularly worrying one to the list.

Jason Palmer [00:00:25] You probably know that astronauts have to work pretty hard to keep their muscle and bone mass up, given the weak gravity up there. But there are plenty of other health risks. We look at new research that adds a particularly worrying one to the list.

Rosie Blau [00:00:40] And when it comes to telecommunications. Britain used to be a pioneer. So how did it end up with the worst mobile phone service in the rich world? But first. This week, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, welcomed the leaders of the G20 to Rio.

Rosie Blau [00:00:40] And when it comes to telecommunications. Britain used to be a pioneer. So how did it end up with the worst mobile phone service in the rich world? But first. This week, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, welcomed the leaders of the G20 to Rio.

Clip [00:01:16] A global leader from neo liberal focus to a major. You referred to the volunteers. Actually, that’s enough for now.

Clip [00:01:16] A global leader from neo liberal focus to a major. You referred to the volunteers. Actually, that’s enough for now.

Rosie Blau [00:01:25] Lula, as he’s more commonly known, opened the summit by taking aim at wealth inequality. He spoke of what he called the failures of neoliberal globalization in an era of increased turbulence. But as talks wrap up today, he may be disappointed that not all his allies support his agenda. As in so many countries right now. Donald Trump’s reelection is forcing Brazil to shift its priorities.

Rosie Blau [00:01:25] Lula, as he’s more commonly known, opened the summit by taking aim at wealth inequality. He spoke of what he called the failures of neoliberal globalization in an era of increased turbulence. But as talks wrap up today, he may be disappointed that not all his allies support his agenda. As in so many countries right now. Donald Trump’s reelection is forcing Brazil to shift its priorities.

Ana Lankes [00:01:53] So Brazil’s president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, wanted to get three things out of the G20.

Ana Lankes [00:01:53] So Brazil’s president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, wanted to get three things out of the G20.

Rosie Blau [00:02:00] Ana Lankes is our Brazil bureau chief. First, he wants countries to form an alliance to end hunger and poverty, which is very ambitious. Second, he wants countries to agree to reform some international governance institutions like the U.N. and the IMF. And third, he wanted to get countries to pledge more money towards combating climate change. On top of that, he also wants countries to agree to a global tax on the wealth of billionaires. But all of those proposals probably won’t get much support. With Trump back in the White House from January.

Rosie Blau [00:02:00] Ana Lankes is our Brazil bureau chief. First, he wants countries to form an alliance to end hunger and poverty, which is very ambitious. Second, he wants countries to agree to reform some international governance institutions like the U.N. and the IMF. And third, he wanted to get countries to pledge more money towards combating climate change. On top of that, he also wants countries to agree to a global tax on the wealth of billionaires. But all of those proposals probably won’t get much support. With Trump back in the White House from January.

Rosie Blau [00:02:34] So there’s a no small ambitions, but why does he expect his relationship with Trump to be so poor?

Rosie Blau [00:02:34] So there’s a no small ambitions, but why does he expect his relationship with Trump to be so poor?

Ana Lankes [00:02:40] So Lula’s relationship with Trump is particularly bad among world leaders, and it’s for pretty personal reasons. First, Lula, he’s a left wing president, and he threw his veiled support behind Kamala Harris just days before the election. So that was a bad bet. Second, Trump is pretty close to Lula’s nemesis, the far right, former President Jair Bolsonaro. And third, Elon Musk, who’s kind of Donald Trump’s right hand billionaire, has had an ongoing spat with Brazil’s Supreme Court for the past few months. And it culminated in X, which Musk owns being banned in Brazil for over a month. And StarLink, another company that Musk owns, having to pay millions of dollars in fines to Brazil. And so on Saturday, Lula’s wife was talking at a G20 event about disinformation on X and other platforms, and she said, Fuck you, Elon Musk. And in reply, Musk said, You guys are going to lose the next election. So it’s pretty personal.

Ana Lankes [00:02:40] So Lula’s relationship with Trump is particularly bad among world leaders, and it’s for pretty personal reasons. First, Lula, he’s a left wing president, and he threw his veiled support behind Kamala Harris just days before the election. So that was a bad bet. Second, Trump is pretty close to Lula’s nemesis, the far right, former President Jair Bolsonaro. And third, Elon Musk, who’s kind of Donald Trump’s right hand billionaire, has had an ongoing spat with Brazil’s Supreme Court for the past few months. And it culminated in X, which Musk owns being banned in Brazil for over a month. And StarLink, another company that Musk owns, having to pay millions of dollars in fines to Brazil. And so on Saturday, Lula’s wife was talking at a G20 event about disinformation on X and other platforms, and she said, Fuck you, Elon Musk. And in reply, Musk said, You guys are going to lose the next election. So it’s pretty personal.

Ana Lankes [00:03:39] Wow. So how is Lulu expecting to fill this void that the relationship with Trump leaves? The best bet he’s got is to get closer to China. And since coming back to power in January 2023, he’s made a huge effort to win back China’s confidence because under his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, relations with China had cooled. And so Lula took a huge delegation to China soon after he came to power. And now he’s really been cozying up to Xi Jinping, China’s president. So tomorrow Xi Jinping is going to Brasilia, Brazil’s capital, to meet Lula. And they’re expected to sign dozens of agreements. They’re celebrating 50 years since diplomatic ties were established. But it carries much more weight now that Trump is back in power. I spoke to a former Brazilian ambassador to Beijing who told me this year, anyone who’s anyone in Brazil has been to China. So just in the past few months, the head of the Supreme Court was in China. The head of the army was there. Really important. Brazilian businessmen have gone to China. And there’s a sense that the relationship, which was always based on trade, is moving beyond that now. Okay.

Ana Lankes [00:03:39] Wow. So how is Lulu expecting to fill this void that the relationship with Trump leaves? The best bet he’s got is to get closer to China. And since coming back to power in January 2023, he’s made a huge effort to win back China’s confidence because under his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, relations with China had cooled. And so Lula took a huge delegation to China soon after he came to power. And now he’s really been cozying up to Xi Jinping, China’s president. So tomorrow Xi Jinping is going to Brasilia, Brazil’s capital, to meet Lula. And they’re expected to sign dozens of agreements. They’re celebrating 50 years since diplomatic ties were established. But it carries much more weight now that Trump is back in power. I spoke to a former Brazilian ambassador to Beijing who told me this year, anyone who’s anyone in Brazil has been to China. So just in the past few months, the head of the Supreme Court was in China. The head of the army was there. Really important. Brazilian businessmen have gone to China. And there’s a sense that the relationship, which was always based on trade, is moving beyond that now. Okay.

Rosie Blau [00:04:44] So let’s get to that in a minute. But tell me what the trading relationship actually involves.

Rosie Blau [00:04:44] So let’s get to that in a minute. But tell me what the trading relationship actually involves.

[00:04:49] So China has been Brazil’s biggest trade partner for 15 years. It overtook the U.S. in 2009. And under Donald Trump’s first presidency. Brazil’s exports to China nearly doubled. And that’s because of the trade war between China and the U.S.. China started buying things like soybeans and corn and chicken from Brazil instead of the U.S. And China has been trying to diversify its trade relations away from the U.S. since the trade war started. It’s expected that this time around, something similar might happen, even though maybe the volumes won’t be as big, but that Brazil could benefit from Trump being back in the White House and that China will want to buy more of its products.

Rosie Blau [00:05:29] But you said their relationship now goes beyond trade.

Rosie Blau [00:05:29] But you said their relationship now goes beyond trade.

[00:05:32] It does. They established relations in August 1974. Brazil was the first country that had a strategic partnership with China in 2009. They helped to found the BRICs, the geopolitical forum made up of Brazil, China, India, Russia and later South Africa joined the pack. So they’ve always had fairly good relations. But now that China feels increasingly isolated and Lula doesn’t get on well with Trump at all, cooperation is extending. So, for example, one thing that will definitely ruffle feathers in the White House is the fact that Lula sent his communications minister to China just last month to court makers of satellites that compete directly with Elon Musk’s StarLink. Another area that’s become really important is cooperation on renewables and anything to do with clean energy. China was investing a lot in big electricity projects, hydroelectric dams, this kind of thing. And now it’s much more involved in smaller scale projects. And last year, something like 70% of China’s investments in Brazil were in renewable energy. That will have more tangible, positive impact on Brazilians. Two big Chinese companies that are direct rivals to Tesla, BYD and Great Wall Motors are also opening factories in Brazil from early next year. And that means that they’ll create thousands of local jobs and they’re going to use local inputs. So that’s also something that plays directly into Lula’s agenda.

Rosie Blau [00:06:59] Does that in the end make any difference to other countries?

Rosie Blau [00:06:59] Does that in the end make any difference to other countries?

Ana Lankes [00:07:02] So both of them want a more multipolar world and they’re working towards that in that, for example, China and Brazil signed an agreement to settle more trade in their local currencies, the yuan and the real instead of using the US dollar as an intermediary. That matters because Trump has already said that he will slap tariffs of 100% on goods imported from countries that want to, quote, leave the dollar. So cooperation has been increasing in lots of different areas. And I think it’s not just about a bilateral relationship that increased cooperation will have effects way beyond just these two countries.

Ana Lankes [00:07:02] So both of them want a more multipolar world and they’re working towards that in that, for example, China and Brazil signed an agreement to settle more trade in their local currencies, the yuan and the real instead of using the US dollar as an intermediary. That matters because Trump has already said that he will slap tariffs of 100% on goods imported from countries that want to, quote, leave the dollar. So cooperation has been increasing in lots of different areas. And I think it’s not just about a bilateral relationship that increased cooperation will have effects way beyond just these two countries.

Rosie Blau [00:07:40] Anna, thank you so much. Great to talk to you and in person.

Rosie Blau [00:07:40] Anna, thank you so much. Great to talk to you and in person.

Ana Lankes [00:07:42] Thanks for having me Rosie.

Ana Lankes [00:07:42] Thanks for having me Rosie.

Clip [00:08:00] The friendships have been climbing rapidly out of the Earth’s atmosphere exerts a pressure of six times the force of gravity on the astronaut.

Clip [00:08:00] The friendships have been climbing rapidly out of the Earth’s atmosphere exerts a pressure of six times the force of gravity on the astronaut.

Jason Palmer [00:08:09] Space is hard is what a lot of people in the business of trying to get there have said for decades. But it’s also hard on the human body once you’re there. But the loss of Earth’s protection from radiation and much reduced gravity.

Jason Palmer [00:08:09] Space is hard is what a lot of people in the business of trying to get there have said for decades. But it’s also hard on the human body once you’re there. But the loss of Earth’s protection from radiation and much reduced gravity.

Clip [00:08:23] Without constant load on your body, you can get incredibly lazy here. Your muscles will start dissolving, your your bones will start getting reabsorbed back into your body.

Clip [00:08:23] Without constant load on your body, you can get incredibly lazy here. Your muscles will start dissolving, your your bones will start getting reabsorbed back into your body.

Jason Palmer [00:08:33] Astronauts spend hours a day with exercise equipment to try to keep fit. But some of the risks of space faring aren’t so straightforwardly addressed, and the list of perils just got longer.

Jason Palmer [00:08:33] Astronauts spend hours a day with exercise equipment to try to keep fit. But some of the risks of space faring aren’t so straightforwardly addressed, and the list of perils just got longer.

Natasha Loder [00:08:44] We’ve known for a long time that space is harmful to human health.

Natasha Loder [00:08:44] We’ve known for a long time that space is harmful to human health.

Jason Palmer [00:08:50] Natasha Loder is our health editor.

Jason Palmer [00:08:50] Natasha Loder is our health editor.

Natasha Loder [00:08:52] But there’s long been this assumption we’re just going to engineer our way out of all of these issues when we do long duration flight in deep space or we colonize the moon or other planets. But this new report, which comes from the charity The Guy Foundation, highlights that space travel may be doing something really quite fundamentally damaging to human health.

Natasha Loder [00:08:52] But there’s long been this assumption we’re just going to engineer our way out of all of these issues when we do long duration flight in deep space or we colonize the moon or other planets. But this new report, which comes from the charity The Guy Foundation, highlights that space travel may be doing something really quite fundamentally damaging to human health.

Jason Palmer [00:09:16] So what exactly is in this new report?

Jason Palmer [00:09:16] So what exactly is in this new report?

Natasha Loder [00:09:18] The concern of this report is that space travel seems to induce accelerated aging in astronauts, and this is associated with the disruption of energy production in human cells. And the report particularly hones in on the energy producing organelles, the mitochondria.

Natasha Loder [00:09:18] The concern of this report is that space travel seems to induce accelerated aging in astronauts, and this is associated with the disruption of energy production in human cells. And the report particularly hones in on the energy producing organelles, the mitochondria.

Jason Palmer [00:09:38] So you going to have to fill in some of the blanks for me here. What is the connection then between mitochondria and space exposure?

Jason Palmer [00:09:38] So you going to have to fill in some of the blanks for me here. What is the connection then between mitochondria and space exposure?

Natasha Loder [00:09:44] The problem with mitochondria is multifaceted. They’re these crucial components found in almost every cell of human body, and they produce the energy that powers our cellular functions, that powers everything, basically. We don’t have that much data on human health in space, but we have known for about four years that spaceflight causes significant damage to mitochondrial function and that this seems likely to explain many of the health issues that we do observe in astronauts such as immune system difficulties, cardiovascular issues. Now, one of the reasons there’s a problem for mitochondria is zero gravity. This removes the stimulus to maintain healthy mitochondria and the integrity of structural components. And you get an increase in oxidative stress, which is when you have lots of harmful free radicals bouncing around ionizing radiation to has a similar effect on driving this oxidative stress from mitochondria. But what’s interesting in this new report is it highlights a theoretical new hazard which could be quite important, and that is the lack of magnetosphere. If you go far enough out into space, you go beyond the Earth’s magnetosphere and then you have what’s called a hypo magnetic field, which is zero magnetic field. And that seems to hamper the ability of mitochondria to function well as well.

Natasha Loder [00:09:44] The problem with mitochondria is multifaceted. They’re these crucial components found in almost every cell of human body, and they produce the energy that powers our cellular functions, that powers everything, basically. We don’t have that much data on human health in space, but we have known for about four years that spaceflight causes significant damage to mitochondrial function and that this seems likely to explain many of the health issues that we do observe in astronauts such as immune system difficulties, cardiovascular issues. Now, one of the reasons there’s a problem for mitochondria is zero gravity. This removes the stimulus to maintain healthy mitochondria and the integrity of structural components. And you get an increase in oxidative stress, which is when you have lots of harmful free radicals bouncing around ionizing radiation to has a similar effect on driving this oxidative stress from mitochondria. But what’s interesting in this new report is it highlights a theoretical new hazard which could be quite important, and that is the lack of magnetosphere. If you go far enough out into space, you go beyond the Earth’s magnetosphere and then you have what’s called a hypo magnetic field, which is zero magnetic field. And that seems to hamper the ability of mitochondria to function well as well.

Jason Palmer [00:11:14] You say theoretical risk, you mean this has been tested or this has been posited as a potential risk.

Jason Palmer [00:11:14] You say theoretical risk, you mean this has been tested or this has been posited as a potential risk.

Natasha Loder [00:11:20] So what we know from Tardigrades, which are these weird multicellular organisms, is that when you put them into hypo magnetic fields, it affects the in a membrane potential of their mitochondria. And that’s a key indicator of their mitochondrial function. This indicates a direct link between the strength of the magnetic field and the health of their mitochondria. Now what we’re missing is experiments on other organisms, multicellular organisms like perhaps rats or even humans themselves, where we could establish how this is having an impact on them. But there’s no reason to suggest that it would be any different, especially as the report speculates that the problems that mitochondria are having a very much more fundamental to do with the physics of the situation. It’s not something that it would be easy for a multicellular organism like humans to adapt to.

Natasha Loder [00:11:20] So what we know from Tardigrades, which are these weird multicellular organisms, is that when you put them into hypo magnetic fields, it affects the in a membrane potential of their mitochondria. And that’s a key indicator of their mitochondrial function. This indicates a direct link between the strength of the magnetic field and the health of their mitochondria. Now what we’re missing is experiments on other organisms, multicellular organisms like perhaps rats or even humans themselves, where we could establish how this is having an impact on them. But there’s no reason to suggest that it would be any different, especially as the report speculates that the problems that mitochondria are having a very much more fundamental to do with the physics of the situation. It’s not something that it would be easy for a multicellular organism like humans to adapt to.

Jason Palmer [00:12:15] So the suggestion here is that in addition to the other effects that space travel space living would incur, having to do with low gravity, having to do with ionizing radiation, we just now add this to the list. This is just another risk or potential risk.

Jason Palmer [00:12:15] So the suggestion here is that in addition to the other effects that space travel space living would incur, having to do with low gravity, having to do with ionizing radiation, we just now add this to the list. This is just another risk or potential risk.

Natasha Loder [00:12:29] Yeah, it is. But the problem is that it’s hard to see how you can deal with this sort of risk. I mean, if you tried to colonize deep space, there are structures that you could build that could create artificial gravity. For example, you could use shielding for radiation, but it’s hard to see how you would create a magnetic field. Maybe we can do this. It’s something that’s new. Maybe we can figure this out. But the more engineering you need to create an environment that is safe for humans, then the harder it is to colonize other places. And then you’ve got to ask yourself the question, well, these are healthy adults at the peak of their fitness who are suffering from health problems in space. What happens when you have ordinary human beings in space or children or when you have a fetus in space or on a planet? How does that affect their health and their mitochondrial function? How is that accelerating their aging? When you look at all the preparation we’ve done for space travel, it’s rockets and it’s engineering and it’s mechanical arms. But understanding whether humans are able to adapt beyond this sort of envelope that we have evolved inside is really only in its infancy. And one of the questions people are asking is whether we’re going to have to engineer humans themselves in order to really extend ourselves beyond our evolutionary home.

Natasha Loder [00:12:29] Yeah, it is. But the problem is that it’s hard to see how you can deal with this sort of risk. I mean, if you tried to colonize deep space, there are structures that you could build that could create artificial gravity. For example, you could use shielding for radiation, but it’s hard to see how you would create a magnetic field. Maybe we can do this. It’s something that’s new. Maybe we can figure this out. But the more engineering you need to create an environment that is safe for humans, then the harder it is to colonize other places. And then you’ve got to ask yourself the question, well, these are healthy adults at the peak of their fitness who are suffering from health problems in space. What happens when you have ordinary human beings in space or children or when you have a fetus in space or on a planet? How does that affect their health and their mitochondrial function? How is that accelerating their aging? When you look at all the preparation we’ve done for space travel, it’s rockets and it’s engineering and it’s mechanical arms. But understanding whether humans are able to adapt beyond this sort of envelope that we have evolved inside is really only in its infancy. And one of the questions people are asking is whether we’re going to have to engineer humans themselves in order to really extend ourselves beyond our evolutionary home.

Jason Palmer [00:13:56] That took a science fiction turn right at the end there.

Jason Palmer [00:13:56] That took a science fiction turn right at the end there.

Natasha Loder [00:13:59] Well, yes, it did, because if you think about it, if we engineer ourselves so that we’re different enough to survive in space, it’s not so much a colonization event, but a speciation event. In a sense. You’re creating a new species and maybe humans. Beings themselves. Homo sapiens are essentially land locked or earth locked, if you like, and that it’s going to take a different kind of human to sort of reach into the stars.

Natasha Loder [00:13:59] Well, yes, it did, because if you think about it, if we engineer ourselves so that we’re different enough to survive in space, it’s not so much a colonization event, but a speciation event. In a sense. You’re creating a new species and maybe humans. Beings themselves. Homo sapiens are essentially land locked or earth locked, if you like, and that it’s going to take a different kind of human to sort of reach into the stars.

Jason Palmer [00:14:27] Natasha, thanks very much for your time.

Jason Palmer [00:14:27] Natasha, thanks very much for your time.

Natasha Loder [00:14:29] You’re welcome. Jason, always a pleasure.

Natasha Loder [00:14:29] You’re welcome. Jason, always a pleasure.

Clip [00:14:43] Well, I’m talking about that closely to my transmitter there. On the surface.

Clip [00:14:43] Well, I’m talking about that closely to my transmitter there. On the surface.

James Fransham [00:14:49] When it comes to telecoms, Britain has long been a pioneer.

James Fransham [00:14:49] When it comes to telecoms, Britain has long been a pioneer.

Natasha Loder [00:14:54] James Fransham is a data correspondent.

Natasha Loder [00:14:54] James Fransham is a data correspondent.

James Fransham [00:14:57] The world’s first commercial telegraph. Was built by a British inventor in 1837 and in 1927.

James Fransham [00:14:57] The world’s first commercial telegraph. Was built by a British inventor in 1837 and in 1927.

Clip [00:15:04] Do you notice any difference now and what you want to do?

Clip [00:15:04] Do you notice any difference now and what you want to do?

James Fransham [00:15:09] On the first transatlantic phone call was made between London and New York. More recently, a British programmer sent the world’s first text message in 1992. But these days, when it comes to mobile phones and the speed of their data connectivity, Britain is lagging. A research firm called Opensignal regularly ranks the quality of mobile phone reception and the speed of handsets data connectivity in 56 countries around the world. And over a recent six week period, Britain ranked 46th for download speeds and 41st for the availability of 5G, which is the latest whizzy technology in the handful of countries that ranked worse than Britain are all developing nations. So that makes Britain home to the worst mobile phone coverage in the rich world. I can vouch for this. Whenever I am in central London, I find myself regularly trying to escape the so-called not spots, places where you can’t get a mobile signal for love nor money. And it’s particularly bad around The Economist’s office in Covent Garden. The best bet, especially if you’re trying to rendezvous with someone, is to go to the nearest cafe and connect to their Wi-Fi. Part of the problem is demand. In the mid 1990s, British Telecom, who now own the EE mobile phone network, ran an ad campaign whose strapline was It’s good to talk. The irony is that now we’re doing a bit too much for talking, texting, streaming videos and online gaming all from the supercomputers in our pocket. And as a result, mobile data usage is exploding, increasing by 40% year on year and Britain’s four major mobile phone networks. Well, it just can’t keep pace. And there’s been really three principal problems here government U-turns, insufficient investment and planning restrictions. Until 2020, Britain’s telecom operators were enthusiastic buyers of 5G equipment made by Chinese firm called Flyaway. The British government initially said it was satisfied that Huawei’s network did not offer a backdoor for surveillance by the Chinese Communist Party. But America took a more hawkish view. And so, in part because of intense lobbying, the British government did a U-turn.

James Fransham [00:15:09] On the first transatlantic phone call was made between London and New York. More recently, a British programmer sent the world’s first text message in 1992. But these days, when it comes to mobile phones and the speed of their data connectivity, Britain is lagging. A research firm called Opensignal regularly ranks the quality of mobile phone reception and the speed of handsets data connectivity in 56 countries around the world. And over a recent six week period, Britain ranked 46th for download speeds and 41st for the availability of 5G, which is the latest whizzy technology in the handful of countries that ranked worse than Britain are all developing nations. So that makes Britain home to the worst mobile phone coverage in the rich world. I can vouch for this. Whenever I am in central London, I find myself regularly trying to escape the so-called not spots, places where you can’t get a mobile signal for love nor money. And it’s particularly bad around The Economist’s office in Covent Garden. The best bet, especially if you’re trying to rendezvous with someone, is to go to the nearest cafe and connect to their Wi-Fi. Part of the problem is demand. In the mid 1990s, British Telecom, who now own the EE mobile phone network, ran an ad campaign whose strapline was It’s good to talk. The irony is that now we’re doing a bit too much for talking, texting, streaming videos and online gaming all from the supercomputers in our pocket. And as a result, mobile data usage is exploding, increasing by 40% year on year and Britain’s four major mobile phone networks. Well, it just can’t keep pace. And there’s been really three principal problems here government U-turns, insufficient investment and planning restrictions. Until 2020, Britain’s telecom operators were enthusiastic buyers of 5G equipment made by Chinese firm called Flyaway. The British government initially said it was satisfied that Huawei’s network did not offer a backdoor for surveillance by the Chinese Communist Party. But America took a more hawkish view. And so, in part because of intense lobbying, the British government did a U-turn.

Clip [00:17:21] China has reacted angrily after the government banned Huawei from the UK’s 5G networks amid security concerns.

Clip [00:17:21] China has reacted angrily after the government banned Huawei from the UK’s 5G networks amid security concerns.

James Fransham [00:17:28] So now all hallway equipment must be ripped out and replaced by 2027 at the latest. And that decision, which may well have good grounds, has likely delayed the rollout of 5G, and it’s also been pretty costly to mobile operators will spend about 2 billion pounds somewhere in the region of $3 billion, which is not an insignificant share of their total capital expenditure. But there’s another problem, too. At the moment, 90% of Britain’s 5G signals are sent from bolt on to the previous 4G network. So in order to get the full benefits of 5G such as low latency, that’s quick response times to you and I to talk to things like self-driving cars or network slicing, which can reduce congestion in busy areas. A so-called new core network of standalone 5G needs to be built. Now. The government has set an ambitious target for the whole population of Britain to have access to standalone 5G by 2030. But by one estimate, the mobile operators are only likely to invest about 9 billion of the 22 to 32 billion required to get there. A marriage proposal might help matters. Vodafone and three want to join forces in order to compete against their two larger rivals. They say that they’re just too small to justify the expenditure on whizzy 5G networks. One analyst I spoke to reckons that network synergies would lead to a 30% increase in capacity across the country’s total mobile phone network. That, I hope, would be a pretty significant boost to my signal in Covent Garden. But Britain’s competition watchdog is yet to consent to the tie up. It worries that less competition will likely push up prices not by much, by just 1.5% overall, but it could also reduce incentives for operators to invest in 5G. So when the ruling is published in a few weeks time, investments in 5G is likely to be a binding commitment of any merger agreement. But even if the merger does get the go ahead, it would be years until its full effects are out. In the meantime, improving mobile coverage in the past will also mean sticking up more phone masts. And this is where, say, the mobile operators tell me the country’s sclerotic planning regime is a real problem. And so there are plenty of obstacles to improving Britain’s mobile phone network. But it is vital that they are overcome because soon the network operators will be scratching their heads on how to deploy the next generation of technology. 6g.

James Fransham [00:17:28] So now all hallway equipment must be ripped out and replaced by 2027 at the latest. And that decision, which may well have good grounds, has likely delayed the rollout of 5G, and it’s also been pretty costly to mobile operators will spend about 2 billion pounds somewhere in the region of $3 billion, which is not an insignificant share of their total capital expenditure. But there’s another problem, too. At the moment, 90% of Britain’s 5G signals are sent from bolt on to the previous 4G network. So in order to get the full benefits of 5G such as low latency, that’s quick response times to you and I to talk to things like self-driving cars or network slicing, which can reduce congestion in busy areas. A so-called new core network of standalone 5G needs to be built. Now. The government has set an ambitious target for the whole population of Britain to have access to standalone 5G by 2030. But by one estimate, the mobile operators are only likely to invest about 9 billion of the 22 to 32 billion required to get there. A marriage proposal might help matters. Vodafone and three want to join forces in order to compete against their two larger rivals. They say that they’re just too small to justify the expenditure on whizzy 5G networks. One analyst I spoke to reckons that network synergies would lead to a 30% increase in capacity across the country’s total mobile phone network. That, I hope, would be a pretty significant boost to my signal in Covent Garden. But Britain’s competition watchdog is yet to consent to the tie up. It worries that less competition will likely push up prices not by much, by just 1.5% overall, but it could also reduce incentives for operators to invest in 5G. So when the ruling is published in a few weeks time, investments in 5G is likely to be a binding commitment of any merger agreement. But even if the merger does get the go ahead, it would be years until its full effects are out. In the meantime, improving mobile coverage in the past will also mean sticking up more phone masts. And this is where, say, the mobile operators tell me the country’s sclerotic planning regime is a real problem. And so there are plenty of obstacles to improving Britain’s mobile phone network. But it is vital that they are overcome because soon the network operators will be scratching their heads on how to deploy the next generation of technology. 6g.

Rosie Blau [00:20:16] Subscribing to Economist podcast plus helps make our journalism possible. Thank you. Search Economist Podcast Plus for a free trial. And that’s it for this episode of The Intelligence. Let us know what you think of the show. You can get in touch at podcasts@economist.com. We’ll see you back here tomorrow.

Rosie Blau [00:20:16] Subscribing to Economist podcast plus helps make our journalism possible. Thank you. Search Economist Podcast Plus for a free trial. And that’s it for this episode of The Intelligence. Let us know what you think of the show. You can get in touch at podcasts@economist.com. We’ll see you back here tomorrow.

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