UK government unveils plans to evolve national telecoms

As part its nationwide mission to ensure communities can connect, the UK government recently announced a new investment plan worth close to £150m.

The aim of the initiative is to put Britain at the forefront of the field in future research in telecoms. A further £40m investment is also planned to boost take-up of 5G technology.

The new government objectives are designed to builds on its launch of the new UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN) which occurred in 2022 and the £110m investment programme scheme drawn up for universities to start developing both 5G and 6G services.

Unveiled by Michelle Donelan, the UK’s secretary for technology, the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy’s ultimate ambition is to unlock potential, innovation and growth, across the nation by deploying brand new technologies that it states will change the lives of Britons and the how UK businesses operate, during a time when connectivity is experiencing a significant evolution.

The upcoming plan seeks to cover the UK with the most reliable and fastest wireless coverage currently available. While 77% of the population presently have access to standard 5G from a single provider, the new initiative commits to ensure all populated areas can access standalone 5G by the year 2030.

The recent announcement also includes an £8m investment commitment to deliver high-speed broadband for around 35,000 of the most remote premises in Britain. Under the scheme, businesses and homes unable to access faster broadband will be provided with funding that can link them to satellites around the globe, affording them a connection 10 times faster than their current speeds.