Coverage
Ensuring organisations have access to cutting-edge technology and reliable mobile coverage.
5G Support
Supporting organisations to procure and deploy 5G networks.
Engagement
Demonstrating the value and potential of 5G to organisations.
Innovation
Fostering innovation and supporting organisations to access investment.
Our Innovation Hubs
We offer access to cutting edge 5G mobile private networks, exclusively here in Scotland. Our hubs are located nationwide, providing an opportunity for public and private sectors, start-ups, entrepreneurs and academic researchers to test new 5G enabled products, services and solutions. This is a unique opportunity for businesses to work with leading industry experts and explore how a 5G network could support your digital transformation journey.
Our Innovation Hubs
Services
Support
Take advantage of our impartial and expert advice - tailored to your business needs
• Access workshops and live demonstrations
• Find out more about how 5G can transform your business
Innovate
Work with us to develop 5G solutions to grow your business
• Work with our experts to look at solutions that will meet your needs, challenges and opportunities
• Test these solutions using our state-of-the-art private 5G testbed
• Get access to the latest industry applications including sensing technology and robotics
Collaborate
Work with us to put your
ideas into practice
• We can connect your business to our extensive network of industry partners to deploy your 5G solution
• Get advice from us on the range of funding opportunities available to support your digital transformation
Support
Innovate
Collaborate
Use Cases
Tay 5G Project
The Scotland 5G Centre (S5GC) is a partner of the Tay5G Innovation Challenge. As a purpose built 5G testbed location invested in the region, and at the heart of the technological innovation ecosystem, S5GC supports research and development on enabling technologies for applications where 5G connectivity plays a key role in transforming key industries. We will be supporting the winners alongside the process in this unique opportunity the region is offering.
Tay 5G Project
Other S5GC Projects
University of Glasgow
University of Strathclyde
Infralink
Next Generation 5G
5G Whisky Distillery Report
The Scotland 5G Centre commissioned Jacobs to explore the potential use of 5G in whisky distilleries. Based on desk research and engagement with a distillery in central Scotland, this report presents the potential opportunities for 5G technology in the whisky sector, considering use cases and impacts across 4 key themes: Health and Safety, Cask Management, Site Management and Maintenance, and Security.
5G Whisky Distillery Report
Understanding 5G
Spectrum Licence Guide
For guidance on how to apply for an Ofcom Spectrum Licence, check out our handbook here.
Spectrum Licence Guide
Recent News
Pioneering 5G technology scoops industry awards
Published: 30th April 2024
A private pop-up 5G network designed by Scottish engineers to beam live footage of the coronation of King Charles III and the Queen across the globe, has won two prestigious industry awards.
The potentially game-changing technology reduces the reliance on fixed wire connections between camera crews and outside broadcast vehicles, and the team included engineers from the University of Strathclyde’s Software Defined Radio team (StrathSDR) and spin out company Neutral Wireless, in collaboration with the BBC and other key partners.
A research paper: This link opens a PDF document detailing how the private network was deployed along The Mall, a project that drew on years of collaborative work and demonstrated the viability of 5G technology for media production, won the Best Paper Award at the 2024 NAB Broadcast Engineering and Information Technology (BEIT) Conference in Las Vegas on April 13. The conference event showcases new trends, ideas, products, and services, driving innovation in content creation and distribution and runs in parallel with the NAB Show.
Historic event
Lead author, Dr Samuel Yoffe from the University of Strathclyde’s Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, said:
“It was an amazing opportunity to play a part in such a historical event, and it was a real collaborative effort.” “To have our paper detailing the design, development and delivery of such an ambitious project recognised by the NAB and BEITC with a best paper award is fantastic, and we are hugely grateful to the organisers and panel.”
The project, which delivered the world’s largest temporary private 5G standalone network to connect cameras, for the worldwide broadcast of the historic event on May 6 last year, also won an IABM Broadcast and Media award for best project, collaboration, event or other innovation award. The awards, also recognised at the NAB show, celebrate outstanding technological innovations.
The judges noted: “This project demonstrated the very best in technical collaboration and problem solving to meet the needs of broadcasters to solve a very real problem around access to reliable spectrum and bandwidth for important events.
“The detailed planning and proof-of-concept work was a great foundation for the live use of the technology in a real environment … a future pathway to a very agile approach in deploying non-public networks for events such as this.”
Uncontested coverage
The network was used by 20 leading broadcasters, including the BBC, CBS, Sky and CNN. Eight 5G cells were set up along The Mall, providing reliable and uncontested coverage from Buckingham Palace to Admiralty Arch. It delivered 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) of wireless connectivity, carrying high definition (HD) video from wireless cameras to production facilities around the world.
The kit was deployed after successful network testing in Loch Lomond-side at the Scotland 5G Centre supported Wave 1 Rural testbed earlier in 2023.
Professor Bob Stewart, head of the University’s Software-defined Radio team, said: “Spectrum sharing has come of age in the last two years and solutions like the Neutral Wireless private 5G networks for media and broadcast mean that, from local community events to professional sports, there are new options to be streamed live using wireless 5G technology.”
How 5G technology can help ignite the creative spark – by Kirsty Scott
Published: 17th April 2024
Kirsty Scott, Senior Business Engagement Manager at The Scotland 5G Centre
Have you ever reached for a special bottle of wine only to realise the bottle opener is nowhere to be found? So much potential but no way to access it. In a way, it’s a problem affecting businesses right now – maybe not the wine part but bear with me.
The technology available to businesses and organisations is expanding faster than ever before. And as those tools, applications and systems become more sophisticated, getting the most from them requires more specialist tools.
When it comes to the world of IoT, connectivity is the bottle opener and 5G is one of the best on the market. A reliable and fast connection to the internet allows a host of IoT devices and data driven applications like VR, AR, avatars or immersive experiences to be connected. Providing users with the ability to securely connect quickly and seamlessly with a variety of data sources will allow businesses to unlock a world of innovation and new potential. And for industries like fashion, film and gaming, 5G-enabled technology could be transformative.
Fashion’s high-speed revolution
Technology that was once the reserve of sci-fi films is now providing practical, real life support to those working in fashion. In a boundary-breaking advancement for the industry, 5G is enabling creators and audiences to seamlessly connect and collaborate virtually – just look at the Hidden Floors project by Scotland Redesign that allowed local fashion designers to collaborate hundreds of miles apart and showcase their digital creations in a virtual exhibition space via a 5G network.
Not only have 5G-enabled technologies created opportunities to connect with buyers across the world, but they have also had a significant environmental and cost impact by reducing the need to travel to buyers or organise physical runway shows in different locations.
In fact, according to a report by ORDRE, from 2018 to 2019, an estimated 241,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions were released due to travel undertaken by buyers and designers attending international fashion weeks – that’s like burning 1,205 railcars’ worth of coal. This is one way that 5G-enabled technologies could help reduce the industry’s environmental impact.
Levelling up the gaming and eSports industry
Another creative cluster that has not only embraced but benefitted from advanced connectivity is the gaming and eSports industry.
5G-enabled technology has taken sports entertainment to a whole new level. By providing low latency, high bandwidth connectivity, players can download large files quickly and stream seamlessly without any disruptions or lag. In an industry where a split-second can be the difference between winning and losing, a strong connection is vital.
And it’s not just for fun anymore with some now valuing the UK’s gaming sector at £7.05bn with an estimated £350m contributing to the Scottish economy.
5G in VR and AR platforms also play a role in enhancing live streaming and audience spectatorship for eSports events. While these technologies aren’t new to the scene, they previously had to rely on a wired connection or chunky hardware to do the heavy lifting.
5G allows users to stream high definition (HD) content and supports interactions from multiple players at one time without the need for a tethered connection, creating a more collaborative and seamless gaming experience for fans and players alike.
Breaking boundaries in virtual production
In the film and broadcast industry, 5G will unlock new opportunities for content creation, distribution and consumption of digital entertainment. Having a faster, flexible and more reliable connection will allow production companies to stream HD videos and seamlessly upload large files to the cloud. Additionally, the ability to collaborate remotely in real time with the use of VR and AR technologies reduces production costs and timelines.
But that’s just the beginning. 5G is continuing to expand and, although its full potential is yet to be realised, Abertay University and a consortium of partners including ourselves are already making waves in the UK movie industry.
Using a new virtual production technique, actors can work together remotely but in real-time, linked by a 5G internet connection. Proving the sheer capability of a wireless virtual production, the project uses computer-generated imagery (CGI) and HD LED screens for motion capture to support real time interaction.
Not only is it a climate friendly approach to production due to the reduced need for travel, it’s also a faster, less expensive and more effective alternative to green screens.
As an enabler technology, 5G’s enhanced capabilities can be the key creative organisations need to unlock the world of IoT and the benefits it can bring. As 5G continues to develop and evolve, it can turbocharge the future growth of the creative industries, giving organisations the tools they need to access different ways of working and collaborating. All it takes is a bottle opener.
Ayrshire’s 5G Vision Comes Alive: Exciting Engagement at the Innovation Region Event
Published: 5th February 2024
PARTNERS underlined their commitment to making Ayrshire a ‘5G Innovation Region’ at an event this month.
The Scotland 5G Centre hosted the event at HALO in Kilmarnock, joined by The Ayrshire Councils, University of the West of Scotland, Ayrshire College and National Manufacturing Institute Scotland as they shared their digital vision for the region.
Following the event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – an official agreement – is set to be signed as the partners continue moving forward with their 5G Innovation Region proposals.
The partners held a first event with local businesses to raise awareness of the project, encourage participation and identify opportunities to unlock manufacturing excellence in Ayrshire. At the event, local businesses from manufacturing, food and drink and aerospace sectors heard from a number of speakers on the collaborative approach to the development and delivery of the project and the potential opportunities.
In November of last year, Ayrshire was one of two regions in Scotland to be successful in securing £3.7 million of funding from the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) that will see regions transformed with new cutting-edge 5G and advanced wireless technologies.
DSIT are awarding over £36 million to regions across the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The successful 5G Innovation Regions will lead on delivering the Government’s vision for communities across the UK to take full advantage of the transformative effect that advanced wireless connectivity and digital technologies can provide – part of our wider ambition to drive telecoms innovation.
And at the event on Wednesday, the journey officially began as the partners outlined their vision and aspirations in developing Ayrshire as a ‘5G Innovation Region’.
The team will use the funding to build on technologies at three of the key strategic Ayrshire Growth Deal sites with The Scotland 5G Centre (S5GC) Innovation hub located in HALO (Kilmarnock) serving as the catalyst for 5G innovation where testing can happen in a 5G private network environment.
The other three sites are:
- National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland (NMIS) Digital Processing Manufacturing Centre (DPMC) at i3 Enterprise Area in Irvine
- Aerospace Innovation Hub, Prestwick International Aerospace Park
- Ayrshire Innovation Park, Moorfield, Kilmarnock
The enhanced 5G and wireless coverage will make these key strategic sites even more productive and desirable to investment – helping provide significant economic benefits.
At the event, local businesses heard from a number of guest speakers – including Kirsty Scott, Senior Business Engagement Manager from The Scotland 5G Centre, North Ayrshire Council’s Head of Regeneration and Economic Development Louise Kirk, and Business Growth Manager Julia McMurdie, Ashleigh Jordan and Angus Verhagen, Innovation Managers from Vodafone and David Hernandez, Project Manager, DPMC – as they showcased how collaborations between councils, businesses, and technology providers like Vodafone are crucial for advancing 5G innovation.
Local businesses are invited to get in touch to signal interest and readiness to participate in the 5G Innovation Region Project in Ayrshire: https://scotland5gcentre.org/expression-of-interest-ayrshire-manufacturing-industries/
The Scotland 5G Centre will lead a Business Challenge Workshop in February to present the barriers, challenges and explore potential solutions with the help of these businesses’ insights.
Councillor Marie Burns, Leader of North Ayrshire Council and chair of the Ayrshire Economic Joint Committee, said: “When we launched our Ayrshire Regional Strategy last year, the digital economy was at the very forefront of our plans so becoming a ‘5G Innovation Region’ underlines our ambitions to make Ayrshire a centre of digital excellence.
“As one of the UK’s ten 5G Innovation Regions, our work has garnered recognition from the UK and Scottish governments, establishing us as a leader in 5G and advanced wireless technology.
“We are now moving forward with our plans and there are some exciting times ahead.
“We have been working collaboratively with partners for a number of years and we are determined to make Ayrshire a leader of 5G innovation in manufacturing.
“A huge thanks to all the businesses who attended and who share our excitement for the digital journey we are on
“This initiative will bring startups, industry, and academia together with sustainability and Net Zero at its core.”
University of the West of Scotland Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor James Miller said: “As a placemaking university with a firm commitment to our communities, the University of the West of Scotland is looking forward to continuing our role in aligning regional economic partnerships with innovation, resulting in big wins, economically and socially for Ayrshire”
The Scotland 5G Centre opened their Innovation Hub at HALO Kilmarnock in March 2022.
Ian Sharp, Head of Strategy and Delivery at The Scotland 5G Centre said: “It’s fantastic to see the work taking place in Ayrshire as the region seeks to maximise the benefits of 5G technology, after being awarded with the 5G Innovation region funding.
“There’s a huge amount of potential in this technology and it can benefit businesses of all types and sizes, from family-run food businesses all the way through to large scale manufacturing. We’re keen to speak to and support any businesses currently looking to explore the possibilities of 5G connectivity and would encourage them to get in touch with us with any questions they might have.”
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