The UK government and regulatory bodies are stepping up preparations for 5G by allocating new testbed funding and confirming the date of the upcoming spectrum auction.
Ofcom, the UK telecommunications regulator, has announced that its next spectrum auction will take place on Tuesday, 20 March. The auction will offer blocks of 4G and 5G spectrum to operators seeking to strengthen and expand their networks.
All major mobile operators — EE/BT, O2, Vodafone, and Three — are confirmed participants. Other bidders include fixed wireless broadband provider Connexin and the relatively new entrant Airspan Spectrum Holdings.
Airspan Spectrum Holdings recently acquired a significant tranche of mobile spectrum in Ireland. The company is the UK subsidiary of US-based Airspan and has backing from Japanese telecom group SoftBank, making it a participant to watch as the market evolves.
Because of its already large spectrum holdings, EE will not be permitted to bid in the 2.3GHz band, which is commonly used for 4G services. To promote competitive balance, EE is also restricted to purchasing no more than 85MHz of spectrum in the 3.4GHz band, which is well suited to 5G deployments.
Scot Gardner, Chief Executive of Cisco UK & Ireland, commented:
“5G has generated enormous interest, but now it must be delivered — not just in urban areas but across rural communities as well. It’s encouraging to see government investment in research and development that will help the UK lead in this critical field.”
“Digital economies depend on reliable connectivity, so the UK cannot afford to wait. We need to be trialling now to understand what 5G can deliver nationwide.”
In addition to confirming the auction, the government has awarded a total of £25 million to six 5G testbeds to support research and real-world trials:
5G RuralFirst — Led by Cisco with the University of Strathclyde as a principal partner, this programme will run testbeds and trials that explore 5G benefits tailored to rural communities and local industries.
5G Smart Tourism — Focused on improving visitor experiences through augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), this testbed will deploy enhanced visual technologies at major attractions in Bath and Bristol.
Worcestershire 5G Consortium — This initiative will investigate how 5G can boost industrial productivity via preventative and assisted maintenance, using robotics, big data analytics, and AR.
Liverpool 5G Testbed — Initially funded for one year, this project will introduce cost-effective, open-source 5G networks along with artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and IoT solutions across disadvantaged communities in the Liverpool City Region.
AutoAir: 5G Testbed for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles — AutoAir aims to enable validation and development of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) using 5G technologies at Millbrook, one of the UK’s premier vehicle proving grounds.
5G Rural Integrated Testbed (5GRIT) — 5GRIT will trial innovative 5G applications in rural settings, such as smart agriculture, tourism enhancements, and improved connectivity for underserved communities.
Margot James, Minister for Digital and Creative Industries, said these pioneering projects will help unlock the potential of 5G and ensure its benefits reach across the economy and wider society.
What are your thoughts on these latest 5G developments? Share your views in the comments.