Dorset Connectivity Concerns

Dorset still lags significantly in terms of internet and phone connectivity, a project manager for 5G in rural Dorset claims.

15:09 25 October 2020

Gary Littledyke, a project manager for 5G in rural Dorset, said that the town is 'significantly' lacking in terms of internet and phone connectivity. The comment was made in an online lecture where he points out that the county could boost its economy with better connectivity. 

 

He said that people in rural Dorset could benefit from 5G technology, which could see an estimated 7,000 people living with dementia with access to specialist devices, farmers benefiting from 5G enabled technology for monitoring crops and residents with easy access to public services. 

 

He added: "The county could become a safer place with technology that could monitor the coastline and offer phone signals in places which are currently impossible, helping the RNLI and marine and coastguard services."

 

Mr Littledyke is urging the local government to persuade more technology companies to put in the infrastructure needed to improve signals in Dorset. He added that since tech companies may not be persuaded to build unless there is a return for them, Government intervention may be required to enable the investment to take place. 

 

The online audience also heard that in some parts of the county 5G could ‘leapfrog’ existing technologies, such as 4G, going directly to the faster service.