A group of Worcestershire businesses and researchers have secured Government funding to help develop 5G mobile technology in the UK
The Worcestershire 5G Consortium receives £4.8 million to test 5G across a range of applications from smart farming with drones, improving healthcare in the home, developing self-driving cars and improving manufacturing productivity.
It comes from a £25 million handout announced by Government today to pave the way for a future rollout of 5G technology in the UK.
5G will enable internet speeds to keep up with the explosion of smart devices in the home and the ‘internet of things’. With potential speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second, it will also make it easier for people to rapidly download and upload ultra HD and 3D video.
As well as the Worcestershire County Council and the Local Enterprise Partnership the consortium includes experts from the University of Surrey, AWTG, Huawei, O2, BT and Malvern Hills Science Park and local businesses Worcester Bosch, and Yamazaki Mazak.
It is also seen as a success for the wider Midlands Engine project to develop the region’s economy.
Mark Stansfeld, chairman of Worcestershire LEP and 5G lead for Midlands Engine, said: “We are delighted to have been successful in our bid which will help businesses deliver greater productivity using 5G technologies. This highlights the huge ambition of Worcestershire’s innovative public and private sector, with key Worcestershire employers leading the way in Industry 4.0.
“At a time of increasing global competition for trade and investment, we are confident that we can act as a catalyst for technological innovation in the wider Midlands Engine and nationally. We welcome opportunities for collaboration with the UK’s most innovative minds.”
Sajid Javid, Housing Secretary and Ministerial Champion for the Midlands Engine, said: “One year on from the launch of the Midlands Engine Strategy, it’s clear that the region is at the forefront of innovation and growth. We have achieved a lot – from trade missions across the globe to millions of pounds of government investment in the region.
“The announcement today of this ground-breaking project will build on this, helping to unlock the Midlands’ 5G future and ensure the benefits of this new technology are felt across the region.”
The development of 5G connectivity would revolutionise the way companies in the Midlands Engine do business and help them expand globally. The news comes on the first anniversary of the Midlands Engine Strategy which sets out how the Midlands will deliver the government’s Industrial Strategy, enabling businesses to create more jobs, increase skills levels, export more goods and services, and grow productivity.
What the Midlands Engine has been working on for the last year
- a £250 million boost for small and medium businesses across the Midlands through the Midlands Engine Investment Fund
- a second devolution deal for the West Midlands Combined Authority, including £250 million from the Transforming Cities Fund to improve transport links
- 9 international Midlands Engine trade missions, to build links with markets such as the USA, China, and the UAE
- expansion of the successful work coaches programme across the West Midlands Combined Authority; the Midlands Engine Team has already delivered over 4,700 job outcomes to support people furthest from the labour market to overcome barriers to employment
- opening of the National College for High Speed Rail in Birmingham to generate the workforce of the future
- £80 million awarded to build the UK’s first ever state-of-the art automotive battery development facility in Coventry and Warwickshire
- Coventry named the UK City of Culture for 2021 and Birmingham the host city for the 2022 Commonwealth Games – a chance to show visitors everything the region can offer
- Government funding announced to boost autonomous vehicle development across the Midlands, including projects from Horiba MIRA in Leicestershire and Jaguar Land Rover - shaping the future of transport
- an injection of £105.4 million infrastructure investment to help unlock around 22,000 potential new homes
- a successful Midlands pavilion at the MIPIM property fair in Cannes, which we will be repeating next week; here we’ll launch a refreshed investment por 5G testbed areas is another success for the Midlands, continuing to make the region a powerful engine for economic growth.
