The UK Government has announced new projects set to test innovative hybrid connectivity solutions for some of the most remote places in the UK, backed by up to £3.5 million in public funding.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) will work alongside the UK Space Agency and European Space Agency to establish projects that the government hopes will help close the digital divide for locations with difficult terrain and sparse populations, where satellites offer the only practical solution for connectivity.

The work is beginning with a funding call aimed at finding industry partners for three projects focused on delivering future satellite services.

One of these projects will provide portable gigabit-capable internet speeds, with adaptable terminals designed to be mounted on vehicles that will improve connectivity for users such as local authorities, farmers, emergency services, and the events and hospitality sector.

The proposed Nomadic Multi-orbit User Terminal Demonstrator will be mounted on standard vehicles, and use signals from satellites in both Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Orbit (GEO) to create a robust, high-speed communication system.

Meanwhile, on rural and remote islands in Shetland and Northern Ireland, two other projects will test innovative hybrid networks to see if they can support locations unable to connect to traditional networks. 

The Rathlin Island Service Demonstrator project aims to boost digital connectivity on Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland, with the funding call offering £2 million for improvements to connectivity using LEO and GEO satellite terminals through wireless/mobile technologies, possibly including 5G/6G networks.

A third funding call of £1 million aims to improve connectivity on Papa Stour, one of the Shetland Islands.

This new project proposes testing a hybrid satellite-wireless solution using LEO and GEO terminals to boost connectivity for both residents and tourists, supporting heritage and conservation activities on the island.

The government claimed that the Papa Stour project is an opportunity to demonstrate how an integrated satellite-wireless solution can be managed on a ‘whole community’ basis, without needing many on-site personnel to sustain it, which could be a blueprint for other remote areas across the UK.

Secretary of state for Scotland, Ian Murray said: “We know connectivity is one of the biggest challenges faced by Scotland’s island communities and I am pleased the UK Government, through the UK Space Agency, is working to address this and improve people’s lives.

“This project on Papa Stour, which will test a hybrid satellite-wireless solution for the residents, is a vital research project which could be used as a blueprint in the future for our many island and other very hard to reach communities in Scotland.”

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According to the government, the aim of these projects is to improve connectivity in the support of education, research, tourism, conservation, local businesses, and healthcare, while also enhancing the local economies and quality of life in hard to reach places.

“Digital infrastructure is essential for our modern way of life. But for too long, many businesses and communities have felt left behind,” said Chris Bryant, telecoms minister.

“This is why we must do whatever it takes to ensure we harness technological innovation to enrich people’s lives and tackle exclusion, rather than entrench existing inequalities.”

The funding call is open now, with the deadline for submissions of Expressions of Interest set for 31st January next year.