Government reveals next steps for UK's 5G plan

Government opens up on the next steps in its 5G strategy for the UK

The government has outlined its plans for positioning the UK as a world leader in the development and deployment of 5G mobile technology.

It has outlined a number of steps to turn the UK into a catalyst for the next generation of mobile connectivity, and has published its updated 5G strategy today.

First unveiled in the Spring Budget 2017, the government said that it is looking to outline the country's "progress to date in delivering against the recommendations of the strategy".

The update to the strategy details the next phase of work that needs to be done to ensure the UK is ready for a 5G future. It considers areas such as investment and trials.

Back in October, the government launched a £25 million competition to fund a string of 5G testbeds and trials across the country. It's split into phases.

Currently underway, the first phase competition is focused on developing use cases for 5G technology. The government said it wants "to help identify new revenue streams and business models for all parts of the supply chain".

The second phase, which is detailed in today's update, will provide the first large scale projects with additional funding to boost their lifespan.

As part of these plans, the government is also looking to talk to experts and companies about their views around the "appropriate scale and scope" of deployment pilot schemes.

According to the government, it's crucial to have steps "that will help to establish the conditions under which 5G can be deployed in a timely way and help foster the development of 5G in the UK"

"This includes the timescales over which they should be delivered, the amount of funding contribution which would be appropriate, and the method by which funding should be allocated," it explained.

The government also said "it's important for the government to create the right environment for long-term investment in 5G and other technologies like full fibre broadband".

Matt Hancock, the UK's Minister for Digital, said: "We want the UK to be a global leader in 5G so that we can take early advantage of the benefits that this new technology offers.

"The steps we are taking now are all part of our commitment to realising the potential of 5G,and will help to create a world-leading digital economy that works for everyone."