The Scotland 5G Centre Launches S5GConnect Forth Valley 5G Testbed

The Scotland 5G Centre and BT are transforming the future of the workspace and delivering ‘greener’ options for Scottish industry

• The Scotland 5G Centre launch 5G hub and testbed at Forth Valley College’s Alloa Campus,
• The 5G Testbed is live, accessible and open to the market to support the creation and acceleration of the application of new 5G-enabled uses, across key sectors such as industry and environmental monitoring, transport and logistics and manufacturing.

The Scotland 5G Centre (S5GC) and BT, have completed the installation of a dedicated 5G Mobile Private Network at S5GConnect Forth Valley – The Centre’s 5G innovation hub covering Central Scotland. The hub and testbed based at Forth Valley’s Alloa Campus is now officially open to the public following a launch event where businesses and members of the local community were able to participate in 5G-enabled demonstrations.

As part of the launch event, BT, together with its innovation partners Librestream and Cradlepoint, demonstrated two innovative use cases which have been developed for manufacturing, providing ‘hands on’ demonstrations of real-time, high-quality collaboration between geographically dispersed locations.   Using augmented reality software, remote users are able work together – reducing the environmental impact of unnecessary travel and improving the delivery rates of projects thereby reducing waste. This revolution will increase efficiency, reduce costs, and support organisation in reaching net zero.

S5GConnect Forth Valley offers advice and access to a cutting-edge 5G mobile private network providing an opportunity for SME’s, start-ups and researchers to test new 5G-enabled products, services and solutions.

Working with partners at Scotland’s International Environment Centre (SIEC), an initiative led by the University of Stirling funded through the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal, and Clackmannanshire Council, the Forth Valley hub is creating a focal point for organisations in the environmental, transport, and manufacturing sectors, to learn, collaborate and innovate.

Tom Marchbanks, Business Engagement Manager, S5GConnect Forth Valley Hub said: “S5GC is excited to be launching our regional hub here in Alloa and we look forward to supporting local companies with a knowledge hub and innovation centre where companies can test, design and prototype leading edge goods and services for the rapidly emerging industrial 5G era.

“The Forth Valley Hub, will help individual organisations, run trials on the test bed infrastructure and understand the benefits of 5G in addition to receiving support as they deploy their own private networks. We also look forward to working alongside our partners here in Forth Valley, Scotland International Environment Centre to help companies understand the advantage that next generation connectivity solutions can provide in delivering leaner, cleaner and more cost-effective operations.”

Alan Lees, Scotland Director for BT Enterprise: “BT are delighted to partner with the Scotland 5G Centre in launching this new 5G hub in the Forth Valley. Having confidence in your connectivity opens up incredible opportunities to transform services and outcomes in Scotland, and 5G is a key part of that.  BT were the first to launch 5G in Scotland in 2019 and we’ve been growing our coverage ever since. 5G arrived in Stirling in 2020 and EE continues to improve coverage in the area. Working with The Scotland 5G Centre, this hub in the Forth Valley is a showcase of what 5G can deliver, to the rest of Scotland and the UK.”

John Rogers, Executive Director of Research, Innovation and Business Engagement at the University of Stirling, said: “Through Scotland’s International Environment Centre, the University of Stirling is developing novel responses to the climate emergency, helping Scotland to make a just transition to becoming Net Zero by 2045.  We’re pleased to partner on this exciting initiative, which will provide a sound, digital foundation to the regional-scale innovations that we are pioneering in collaboration with industry, public services and communities across the Forth Valley.”