Government Funding for "New Thinking" Project

The project will focus on delivering rural connectivity to cooperatives of consumers, local enterprise, councils and other stakeholders.

21:27 27 February 2020

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has awarded £5million funding for a project that will focus on the development of a community toolkit that will allow the creation of networks. Its goal is to provide rural connectivity for local enterprises, cooperative of consumers, councils and other stakeholders using the shared and local spectrum licensing options announced by Ofcom in 2019. 

 

The first step of the project, which is one of seven 5G research and development projects across the UK to win funding following the Rural Connected Communities (RCC) competition, will create models and strategies on the Orkney Islands network. 

 

Dez O’ Connor, Cisco and Chief Technologist of the 5G New Thinking Project, said: “We’re excited to be working on this new and ambitious rural connected community project with DCMS.

 

“The new project, 5G New Thinking, aims to showcase the benefits of 5G rural connectivity and sustainability. Cisco and its partners are bringing forward extensive knowledge from recent projects, including 5G RuralFirst based in Orkney, Somerset and Shropshire.

 

“We’re pleased to be working again with principal partner, University of Strathclyde, and others including BBC R&D, CloudNet IT Solutions, and also new partners such as Federated Wireless, Pure Leapfrog and the Scotland 5G Centre. “

 

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.”