Glasgow, North Ayrshire, and the Borderlands Region have received a total of nearly £11 million in UK Government funding to help establish them as 5G Innovation Regions.

The regions are three out of ten locations across the UK receiving government investment, as part of a £36m programme to drive the development and adoption of 5G and other advanced wireless technologies.

The Glasgow City Region will receive £3.2m to deliver a health- and social care-focussed project that will use IoT and smart city applications to make public services better.

Glasgow’s project specifically aims to support the monitoring and maintenance of assets, creating environmentally-friendly social housing, and improving the monitoring of health and social care services.

North Ayrshire Council, meanwhile, will use £3.8m to build new Regional Strategic Wireless Innovation Hubs to accelerate the adoption of digital and wireless technologies in manufacturing.

Cumberland Council will use £3.8m across the Borderlands Region — which includes Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders — to use 5G and advanced wireless tech to support the tourist economy, protect the environment, and aid local business.

Designed to boost innovation in a variety of sectors, the 5G Innovation Regions programme is a commitment from the government’s Wireless Infrastructure Strategy.

The Strategy, published in April this year, set out a vision for locations across the UK to take advantage of the beneficial effect that advanced wireless connectivity and digital technologies can provide.

Coinciding with the innovation programme, a Digital Infrastructure Advisory Group has also been launched. The group will provide a platform for regions to articulate challenges, discuss opportunities, and make policy recommendations to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

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Speaking on the funding, John Lamont, the UK Government minister for Scotland, said: “The UK government is committed to ensuring the potential of 5G is felt across the UK and I am delighted that Glasgow City Council, North Ayrshire Council and the Borderlands Region will between them receive almost £11 million to help with this.

“Scotland has a history of being at the forefront of innovation and technology and this funding will make sure this remains the case.

“All the areas will use this technology to help people’s lives, Glasgow through improving the monitoring of health and social care services, North Ayrshire will accelerate the adoption of digital and wireless technologies and the Borderlands Region will help increase tourism.”

Sir John Whittingdale, minister of data and digital infrastructure, also commented: “We’re channelling millions into local areas to unlock the potential of cutting-edge 5G wireless and digital technologies which will reshape our public services, drive economic growth and boost innovation.

“This new fund will give local areas from across the country the opportunity to be at the forefront of Britain’s world-leading 5G revolution.

“For instance, by using 5G for farming and creating science parks, we’re not just helping local communities, but also encouraging new ideas all over the UK. This is more than just linking smartphones. It’s about using powerful digital connections to transform various sectors in the economy and the public sector throughout the entire country.”

One of the last times DIGIT reported on the intersection of 5G and Scotland was last month, when the Scotland 5G Centre (S5GC) began offering the Highlands and Islands a free 5G Innovation Testbed service.

S5GC’s advice and its pop-up networks are available to organisations looking to explore how 5G solutions can significantly improve their business.