Policy paper

UK Wireless Infrastructure Strategy

A new policy framework to drive deployment and adoption of 5G and advanced wireless connectivity; and the government's 6G strategy for the UK.

• From: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
• Published: 11 April 2023

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

Documents

UK Wireless Infrastructure Strategy

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UK Wireless Infrastructure Strategy

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Details

This government is committed to building a better, more secure, more prosperous future for the UK. This includes a commitment to grow the economy, and create better-paid jobs and opportunity right across the country.

We can only deliver on that commitment with world-class digital infrastructure, which will be the foundation on which we build industries, jobs, skills and services for the future, and this strategy sets out our plan to harness its potential for our economy and our society.

The Wireless Infrastructure Strategy sets out a policy framework to affirm our unwavering commitment to extending 4G coverage to 95% of the population, deliver high quality 5G to all populated areas in the UK by 2030, and investing £40 million to drive take up of innovative 5G-enabled services for businesses and the public sector. It also sets out a comprehensive 6G strategy to harness and develop the UK’s strengths in future telecoms, and to ensure that the UK can influence and benefit from the development of 6G in a way that meets the UK’s future connectivity needs.

Key policies set out in the strategy include:

1. A new ambition of nationwide coverage of standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030 - so everyone can take advantage of new technology.

2. Fixing coverage reporting, including on trains, shining a light on where coverage needs to be improved.

3. £40 million new funding to establish 5G Innovation Regions across the UK. This funding will encourage 5G take-up in the public sector and in industry. We will establish a regional taskforce to encourage take-up and investment at the local level, and we will ensure new hospitals have access to 5G or similar advanced wireless connectivity, allowing major improvements in healthcare delivery.

4. Investing £100 million in the future of 6G, so the UK plays its role as a science superpower.

Published 11 April 2023