The UK government wants all populated areas in the country to be covered with standalone 5G by 2030, according to its announcement earlier this week.
Standalone 5G, also called 5G+, is a version of the 5G network that is built from scratch, not on top of legacy networks such as 4G as is usually the case.
The plans form part of the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy conceived by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT). The £150m investment package includes a £40m fund for 5G innovation which is aimed at boosting growth at a “local level”.
6G in the works
Right now, approximately three-quarters (77%) of the UK population has access to 5G, and 6G is already being developed. To make sure it doesn’t lag behind the competition, the UK government set aside £70m (with the potential of an additional £30m being added at a later date) for the development of 6G technology.
DSIT created a further £40m innovation fund for businesses and the public sector, which includes a regional task force for 5G implementation.
“We want to ensure that 6G is developed to meet the needs of people and businesses right across the UK and bolster our international competitiveness throughout the economy,” commented Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan.
They added that DSIT also wants to connect some 35,000 remote buildings to the internet via satellite broadband, claiming the move brings the UK closer to becoming a “science and tech superpower”:
“This package of measures turbocharges our progress towards becoming a science and tech superpower with a substantial initial investment in the future of telecoms.”
By the end of April, the UK will be 75% covered by gigabit broadband.
“5G has much to offer on an individual business level and to the UK economy, providing better conditions for organizations of every size and sector to adopt or scale their use. Therefore, it is promising to see the UK Government place greater emphasis on 5G, with the announced £40 million 5G innovation fund. We’re already seeing the difference 5G can make through a number of our partnerships,” commented Jo Bertram, Managing Director, Business and Wholesale at Virgin Media O2 Business.
Via: UK Tech News (opens in new tab)
