UK government sets aside £65m for 5G trials

The £65 million package is made up of £30 million for the Rural Connected Communities (RCC) competition, more than £5 million of funding for two industrial projects led by Ford Motor Company and Zeetta Networks, and a new £30 million open competition – named 5G Create – to develop new uses for 5G in a variety of industries, including our creative sectors such as film, TV and video games.

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.”

The RCC competition will fund seven 5G research and development projects across the UK. Five of which will be in England, one in Wales and one in Scotland, with test sites set up in Yorkshire, Gwent, Monmouthshire, Orkney, Wiltshire, Nottinghamshire, Dorset, Shropshire and Worcestershire.