Search begins for a UK 5G ‘city of the future’

The government will create a ‘5G city’ in a multi million pound trial of new high speed connectivity to pave the way for a future rollout of 5G across the UK (March 30th).The Urban Connected Communities Project, a key part of the Industrial Strategy and the next step in the government’s 5G Testbed and Trials Programme, will develop a large-scale, citywide testbed for wireless 5G infrastructure.This will include testing how new technology can make urban communities inherently safer, greener, more efficient and more attractive places to live. It is expected the winning bid will be trialling a variety of initiatives, which could include:Doctors and other health care professionals using real-time video consultation and remote treatment for those less able to travelMaking traffic jams and disjointed journeys a thing of the past through widespread use of sensors and real-time monitoring and management of traffic and public transportRevolutionising the way visitors experience tourist venues through the use of augmented and virtual reality technologiesMaintenance of manufacturing assembly lines through use of robotics and augmented reality would enable millions of measurements per second to be taken to predict when parts need replacing or rerouting to improve productivity.