UK5G group makes bid for global 5G leadership

A government-backed initiative to promote 5G development, adoption and investment has gone live in the UK.

UK5G’s ambition is to establish the country as a global leader in the field and its members include vendors, investors, researchers, regulators and vertical industry partners in a bid to drive takeup.

Members will share ideas, best practices, identify key developments in the space and what barriers persist. A key goal of the group is to encourage more participants from industry and tempt overseas investors to use the UK as a testbed.

UK5G network

The group will be led by Cambridge Wireless, which is a community for the wireless and mobile industry and has more than 400 members and 20 special interest groups.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for the UK to build and enhance its position in the implementation of the next generation of mobile communication – and the end-goal is to help these technologies rapidly transform our societies and economic performance,” said Bob Driver, Cambridge Wireless CEO. “We encourage all interested parties to become involved in the building of this community.”

The UK5G Advisory Board will provide advice, guidance and support for the aims of the network and its future plans and its members come from both suppliers and customers. Members include the likes of Samsung, Three’s UK Broadband, Ofcom, Digital Catapult, BT, Bosch and several universities.

“The Government are determined that the UK be a world-leader in 5G and that we provide reliable, high-speed connectivity to our towns, cities and rural areas,” said Ian Smith, 5G testbeds and trials programme director We are rightly very excited about what UK5G can do for the growing 5G ecosystem in the UK, to help make that vision a reality.”

The UK will not be among the very first to launch 5G – Japan, South Korea and the USA are vying for that honor in 2019 – but it plans to be a close follower in 2020. Indeed, it hopes its research capabilities and startup community will allow it to be one of the leading nations in next generation networks.

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