The UK government has unveiled a new Wireless Infrastructure Strategy aimed at delivering nationwide 5G coverage to all populated areas by 2030 and investing in the next generation of connectivity. The strategy also lays out a comprehensive 6G plan to keep the UK at the forefront of wireless technology development and establishes a national mission backed by up to £100m of initial funding to secure the country’s role in “future telecoms” and 6G technologies.
In the government’s Science and Technology Framework, future telecoms has been identified as one of five critical technologies that will drive economic growth, increase prosperity, and create higher-paid jobs across the UK. The new strategy sets clear targets and funding commitments to achieve those goals.
Central ambitions include nationwide standalone 5G coverage by 2030 and extending 4G coverage to 95 percent of the population. To support innovation and local rollout, the government will provide £40m to establish eight to ten “5G Innovation Regions” across the country, helping businesses and public-sector organisations adopt advanced wireless services.
The strategy restates the government’s commitment to broad 4G coverage and to delivering standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030. It also sets out measures to encourage private sector investment by supporting healthy competition, lowering deployment costs, and stimulating demand for 5G-enabled services.
Key actions in the plan include:
- Removing practical barriers to the deployment of 5G infrastructure
- Signalling the government’s openness to market consolidation where it supports investment and resilience
- Ensuring net neutrality rules remain fit for purpose in a changing market
- Asking telecoms regulator Ofcom to review and publish an evidence-based, forward-looking approach to setting spectrum fees
- Working with Ofcom and industry to refarm underused spectrum
- Maximising the UK’s influence in international spectrum negotiations and aligning international and domestic spectrum frameworks where possible
The government will form a national taskforce to drive local take-up and investment and boost public-sector adoption of 5G and other advanced wireless connectivity. As part of this effort, new hospitals will be expected to have access to 5G or equivalent connectivity to support improvements in healthcare delivery.
Industry voices welcomed the strategy. Tom Bennett, CTO at Freshwave, highlighted the role of neutral host networks in delivering dense, shared infrastructure that reduces installation costs, minimises street clutter, and supports the evolution of smart cities.
To ensure the UK shapes next-generation wireless, the government will publish a clear 6G strategy and launch an £8m capital grants fund to extend satellite connectivity to the most remote 35,000 premises. The 6G plan explains how government, research organisations and industry will collaborate to develop technologies that meet the needs of people and businesses across the UK while maintaining international competitiveness.
Early-stage research funding will be coordinated through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) via the Technology Missions Fund (TMF). Innovate UK will deliver application-focused challenges and funding to help companies bring innovative wireless solutions to market.
Rural connectivity
To improve broadband in remote areas, the government has launched an £8m fund to promote satellite connectivity to the 35,000 hardest-to-reach premises. This builds on the Alpha Trial programme launched in December 2022, which tested low Earth orbit satellite capability for delivering high-speed connections to homes and businesses in remote locations.
The Alpha Trial deployed a mix of equipment from OneWeb and SpaceX across seven UK sites, including remote locations such as Snowdonia, the North York Moors, Papa Stour, and Lundy Island. These trials helped assess the viability of satellite solutions for improving rural connectivity.
Alongside satellite initiatives, Project Gigabit — a £5 billion programme — aims to bring future-proof broadband to rural communities, with £1 billion already committed. Separately, £1 billion has been invested in the Shared Rural Network (SRN) to extend 4G coverage to 95 percent of the UK landmass, yielding significant coverage improvements in rural parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales.
Ofcom has been asked to improve mobile coverage reporting, particularly for rural areas, and to make spectrum more accessible for rural network providers. The government will appoint a Rural Connectivity Champion to report to the DSIT and Defra Secretaries of State and to support the adoption of advanced wireless connectivity in sectors such as agriculture.
The Wireless Infrastructure Strategy aims to future-proof and deliver resilient connectivity to over 99 percent of the UK by 2030. The government recognises, however, that around 100,000 premises will still be hard to reach with gigabit-capable services. It remains committed to improving connectivity for these communities and ensuring rural areas have the digital infrastructure needed to support local economic growth.
(Photo by Tânia Mousinho on Unsplash)
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