A £40m government fund has been launched today to advance UK 5G technologies and create 5G Innovation Regions nationwide.
Local and regional authorities can now apply for the sizeable funding, which aims to further UK 5G capabilities in a range of sectors, including:
- Transport;
- Advanced manufacturing;
- Agriculture; and
- Public services.
The fund will help develop 5G Innovation Regions – areas of the UK that can demonstrate how they will accelerate the development and adoption of 5G and other wireless technologies.
Optimising 5G in the UK and other digital technologies will help attract commercial investment, grow the economy, and ensure towns, cities, and rural areas can take advantage of the vast benefits of 5G.
Sir John Whittingdale, the UK Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure, explained: “Greater adoption of 5G-powered technologies will help deliver more efficient public services, new opportunities for residents and businesses, and a boost for economic growth – and this new fund will give local areas from across the country the opportunity to be at the forefront of Britain’s world-leading 5G revolution.
“5G Innovation Regions will be uniquely positioned to benefit from breaking down barriers which hinder the rollout of such technologies at a local level, and this initiative offers every community the chance to gain these opportunities.
“Improving connectivity through a world-class digital infrastructure is one of the core components of the government’s plans to level up every community in the UK, and I encourage local areas to apply and to be ambitious in their vision for reaping the rewards of 5G.”
Benefits of improving UK 5G
Advancing UK 5G adoption could result in productivity benefits of around £159bn by 2035, research suggests.
5G will provide local areas with faster, more reliable, and more secure connectivity for citizens and businesses to boost local economies and improve public services.
The benefits of 5G are immense. In the agriculture industry, 5G-enabled drones can scan fields and crops, collecting data on weather and environmental conditions to improve yields.
5G technologies can also facilitate smart transport systems to ease congestion and elevate air quality, with connecting sensors helping to manage traffic effectively.
The initiative comes as part of the recently published Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, which details how wireless connectivity, such as 5G, will be instrumental in deploying emerging technologies in the UK, such as AI, autonomous vehicles, and digital twins.
Hamish MacLeod, Chief Executive of Mobile UK, commented: “Driving the adoption of 5G is key to releasing the full benefits of this technology, and the government’s new £40 million fund to support Innovation Regions is an important step.
“I look forward to seeing the active participation of local and regional authorities whose communities and businesses will be better positioned to realise the benefits of advanced wireless connectivity.
“Advanced wireless technologies will also be key to driving the government’s ambitions to harness digital transformation to build a more inclusive, competitive and innovative digital economy, supporting the creation of good jobs in new and emerging sectors and providing reliable high-speed connectivity for residents and businesses.”
A UKTIN campaign will support the initiative
The UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN) will help to further UK 5G adoption by running a nationwide campaign to further knowledge around the technology.
The campaign will bring together businesses interested in 5G services, connecting them with providers and vend to learn about the benefits their companies can experience from 5G.
The government funding will run until March 2025, and successful regions will be supported by the DSIT Future Network Programmes team and UKTIN to establish their own digital ecosystems.
Applications close on 3 September, and winners will be announced later in the year.
