First published in the Worcester News on 23.03.2018
I am delighted that we have been successful in our bid to deliver a new 5G Testbed in Worcestershire. This announcement really does place the county at the forefront of technological innovation and highlights the huge ambition of Worcestershire’s innovative public and private sector.
5G connectivity will be revolutionary in the way that future business operates both in the UK and globally and I am delighted that Worcestershire’s employers will be innovating at the very forefront of Industry 4.0. Worcestershire has recently achieved the highest growth in productivity of all LEP areas between 2010-2015 and the introduction will enable businesses to create new innovative products and services, helping to raise productivity even further.
The Worcestershire 5G Consortium will begin the country’s most comprehensive industrial 5G Testbed project with a team of 5G specialists and business experts pioneering the concept of ‘Industry 4.0’. We are proud to be working with our consortium of partners which includes local infrastructure providers, national network operators and research and development facilities. These are: Worcestershire County Council, 5GIC at University of Surrey, AWTG, Huawei, O2, BT, and Malvern Hills Science Park.
Entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to test the new 5G capabilities in a new commercial technology accelerator located at the Malvern Hills Science Park. This development will have a significant impact on local academia and we will be seeing new courses at local academic institutions The University of Worcester and Heart of Worcestershire College.
At this critical time of increasing global competition for trade and investment, we are confident that Worcestershire can act as a catalyst for technological innovation in the wider Midlands Engine and nationally.
For more information on the development of 5G in Worcestershire, I would encourage all interested parties to visit the Worcestershire LEP website.
