News / 5G
Bristol region secures £5m for 5G network
Visitors to some of Bristol’s top tourist destinations will soon be able to see things in a whole new dimension.
The West of England Combined Authority has secured £5m Government funding to trial a superfast 5G network at key attractions, including M Shed, We The Curious and Millennium Square, as well as the Roman Baths in Bath.
Hailed as the next generation of connectivity, the cutting-edge technology is expected to “revolutionise the way we all live, travel and work” and Bristol is firmly at the forefront of early pilot schemes.
Millennium Square will be viewed in a whole different way
Welcoming the investment in the city and surrounding region, mayor Marvin Rees said: “This announcement of further funding will help Bristol to continue being an internationally recognised testbed for new technologies which is already helping us to find real new innovative solutions to help our city pave the way to become a more inclusive and fairer society.”
He added: “In Bristol we know the importance of developing new technologies in order to empower our citizens and create a well-connected city.”
Margot James, minister of state for digital and the creative industries, said: “The next generation of connectivity is set to transform business and society, and the Government is committed to ensuring the UK is fit for a 5G future.
“Smart tourism is just one of the projects we’re funding to drive this forward, and I look forward to its exploration of the innovative ways 5G can boost the West of England’s fantastic tourism experiences.”
The trial will see 5G infrastructure put in place at the Roman Baths, M Shed and in and around We The Curious and Millennium Square in Bristol.
Metro mayor Tim Bowles
West of England mayor Tim Bowles said: “The 5G Smart Tourism bid will allow us to trial some exciting technology at our top tourist attractions, whilst looking at wider and longer-term benefits for our region.
“This new technology holds the key to a more advanced, sustainable and smart future which will revolutionise the way we all live, travel and work.”
Professor Steve West, Chair of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, added that the 5G offers significant business growth opportunities for the region’s tech sector.
5G is set to be the largest step forward for mobile network technology yet, offering much faster speeds than 4G.
The 5G Smart Tourism project is led by the West of England Combined Authority, with a consortium of partners across the region, including network and service providers, Destination Bristol and Business West, Gromit Unleashed, M Shed, Bristol VR Lab, University of Bristol, Aardman, Bristol City Council and many more.
The project will build upon the 5G network already developed by the University of Bristol, through earlier funding, to establish experimentation capabilities for digital innovation.
Read more: Bristol to host world’s first public 5G experience
Main photo by Jon Craig
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