5G projects to be rolled out in rural areas to progress agricultural industry

The announcement follows a recent survey which showed only 15% had a reliable outdoor phone signal across the farm
The announcement follows a recent survey which showed only 15% had a reliable outdoor phone signal across the farm

The government has announced £25m for 5G projects across the UK, with a focus on rural areas to help progress the agricultural industry.

On the first anniversary of its Digital Strategy, the UK government has today (10 March) announced the winners of a £25 million competition to pave the way for a future rollout of 5G technology.

The six projects will begin in the Orkney Islands, Inverness-shire, Perthshire, West of England and south Wales.

They will test 5G across a range of applications, including smart farming with drones and the use of the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT).

They are part of a £1 billion commitment through the Digital Strategy to keep Britain at the forefront of connectivity.

However, the government has been urged by the NFU to ensure farmers can access next generation technology.

In summer 2017, only 9% of farmers surveyed could confirm they receive broadband speeds of 24Mbps or more and only 15% had a reliable outdoor phone signal across the farm.

The projects hope to change this. Each testbed will receive between £2 million and £5 million in government grants to explore new ‘fifth generation’ mobile communications technologies that use high frequency spectrum to deliver internet speeds of over a gigabit per second.

'RuralFirst'

The projects include 5G RuralFirst, led by Cisco and lead partner University of Strathclyde, will deliver testbeds and trials, primarily on the Orkney Islands, to exploit 5G benefits for rural communities and industries like agriculture.

5G Rural Integrated Testbed (5GRIT) will look at innovative ways to deliver a range of rural applications such as smart agriculture, tourism and connecting poorly-served communities. It will be spread across Inverness-shire, Perthshire, Monmouthshire, Cumbria, Northumberland, North Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Margot James, Minister of State for Digital and the Creative Industries, said: "New technology has the potential to transform business and society and we’re determined everywhere in the UK will be prepared for a 5G future.

"These testbeds will show how our rural communities can harness the power of this revolution in connectivity, bringing benefits across agriculture, industry and wider society."

But NFU Vice President Guy Smith said it’s "very frustrating" for farmers who "waste time everyday" due to current poor connections. He said farmers cannot take advantage of on-farm technology.

“One member spent two and half hours trying to set up a banking service, thwarted by a broadband service that kept dropping out,” Mr Smith explained.

“Another explained how it was not possible to gain real time information from contractors and agronomists.

“A third could not contact their vet and a fourth explained wider rural services, such as their holiday and business letting services had been impacted.”