5G Trials Receive £65 million Package

UK Government awards £65million funding to various projects that aim to explore 5G applications in various industries across the country.

13:25 24 February 2020

A series of government-funded trials that aim to help rural areas seize the full potential of 5G has been announced. Nine projects from across the country will receive a share of the £35million budget from the rural and industrial 5G competitions while another £30million funding has been earmarked for a scheme called 5G create that aims to create new opportunities in the fields of tourism, logistics, video games and TV.

 

Among those that received funding is Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire which will use advanced technology to create apps to transform visitor experience and robotic environmental management solution to preserve the site for future generations.

 

Dorset’s project, on the other hand, will focus on the use of terrestrial and satellite connectivity in a bid to improve air and sea search and rescue to save more lives. The project will also trial the use of 5G in monitoring livestock and remote farm to track crop growth.

 

Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “We’re determined to make the UK a world-leader in 5G and deliver on our promise to improve connections for people and businesses across the country.”

 

“Today we’re announcing new funding to seize the new opportunities this technology will offer us.”

 

“This includes seeing how it could create new jobs in the countryside, make businesses more productive and unleash even more ideas in our cutting-edge creative industries.”

 

Councillor Kay Cutts, leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “This project will be front and centre of retelling the story of Robin Hood to future generations. It will be situated in the ancient royal forest of Sherwood, which has been wooded since the end of the last Glacial Period. There is no better opportunity to trial 5G in a forest setting anywhere else in the UK – not just for the area’s geography, but for its rich and fascinating history.”