Pioneering UK mobile tech facility opens following Chancellor’s call to make UK a world leader in 5G
Following the Chancellor’s call to action to make the UK a world leader in 5G, a brand new 5G mobile network emulator will open at the Basing View innovation hub in Basingstoke, UK, this week.
The 5G emulator is the first response to Philip Hammond’s declaration in this year’s Autumn Statement: “My ambition is for the UK to be a world leader in 5G. That means a full fibre network; a step change in speed, security and reliability.”
The new facility will be a first step towards this, allowing start ups and businesses working on mobile applications to develop systems capable of operating on the next generation at an early stage.
The 5G emulator was built through a significant investment from the Enterprise M3 LEP growth fund, with expertise supplied by the 5G Innovation Centre at the University of Surrey, and supported by SETsquared, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and high tech start up, Gematech.
Digital entrepreneurs, start ups and scale-up businesses will be able to access the facility through SETsquared’s new digital hubs based in growth towns in the Enterprise M3 region, as part of its Digital Business Acceleration Hub programme.
Simon Bond, innovation director at SETsquared, said: “The new 5G emulator has brought a wealth of opportunities for digital start ups. Having access to a world leading facility such as this right on their doorstep will allow businesses to grow, develop new products and explore the next generation of mobile.”
5G network connections are faster than any previous version, with the download of a full HD movie taking under 10 seconds to download. Small businesses such as start ups and scale-ups would usually not have access to a facility of this kind, with many 5G test-beds only available to large corporates.
The 5G emulator will open with a technology demonstration from Gemetach, showing how the network handles 4k video and works with IoT devices connected around the room.
