A new S5GConnect Aberdeen testbed, based at ONE Tech Hub, the home of digital tech in North East Scotland, is now live, accessible and open to the market.

The new facility and testbed will allow businesses of all sizes to test and develop new 5G applications and accelerate new digital services and operations in the region.

The Scotland 5G Centre announced the deployment in March, in a bid to unlock the potentially transformational benefits of 5G for Scottish businesses, public sector organisations and Scottish communities. The partnership is supported by Vodafone and its partner, global 5G technology leader, Ericsson with the Mobile Private Network (MPN) being deployed in just eight weeks.

As part of the launch in Aberdeen, Scottish Government’s Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, Ivan McKee, visited the site and experienced 5G capability first-hand.

During the visit, he observed a remote training demonstration of an offshore wind farm using a robotic arm. This 5G-enabled teleoperation demonstrates how skills can be delivered remotely over wireless links offering new opportunities and capabilities to the energy industry.

This real-time demonstration is possible by using the low latency and high reliability of a 5G Mobile Private Network while the advantage of installing an MPN on-site offers more control on how the network is customised and configured. The robotic arm was controlled by a remote operator, who could see, feel and experience the environment during the inspection with the help of visual and haptic feedback.

The 5G hub is open to local businesses who are interested in the opportunities 5G provides. Visitors can access support from the S5GConnect team and see first-hand the benefits of the live testbed. The hub will benefit commercial entities in the area that are planning to integrate advanced connectivity to improve their business performance.

Business Minister Ivan McKee said: “Transformative 5G technology has the potential to revitalise businesses across the country and I congratulate those behind these innovative demonstrations.

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“The new Aberdeen 5G Innovation Hub will help boost the economy and encourage entrepreneurship in the North East, helping small and medium-sized enterprises with the skills they need to understand how 5G can benefit their business.

“Collaboration between innovation hubs like this and industry can transform businesses and create opportunities for increased productivity, cost savings and sustainability. I encourage the energy sector – locally and further afield – to take advantage of the technology and expertise on offer to help innovate and grow your business.”

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