UK Wireless Infrastructure Strategy · first published 11 April 2023
This strategy, published in April 2023 by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), sets out the UK government's plan to upgrade mobile connectivity from basic (non-standalone) 5G to full standalone 5G across all populated areas by 2030 — including rural villages, not just cities. It also outlines a £40 million fund to create '5G Innovation Regions' where businesses and public services can pilot and adopt 5G-enabled technologies. The government commits to using its own purchasing power — through the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) — to drive demand for 5G use cases, and announces that all new hospitals will be 5G or equivalent wireless enabled. For small businesses, the most direct opportunity lies in the 5G Innovation Regions programme, the planned 5G business adoption campaign, and growing public-sector demand for 5G-enabled products and services. The strategy explicitly acknowledges that 5G roll-out will initially focus on urban areas, meaning rural SMEs may face a wait — but rural connectivity is a named policy priority with dedicated measures.
WHO THIS APPLIES TO
THE ENKII VIEW
The £40 million 5G Innovation Regions fund and the nationwide 5G adoption campaign are concrete near-term entry points for SMEs that offer 5G-enabled products or services — particularly in agri-tech, healthcare, smart manufacturing, and transport. The government's explicit commitment to use Crown Commercial Service purchasing power to drive 5G demand signals that public-sector procurement will increasingly favour suppliers who can demonstrate 5G capability. SMEs in sectors like private network provision, neutral host infrastructure, and IoT are directly called out as part of the new supply ecosystem the government wants to grow.
1. Monitor and apply to the £40 million 5G Innovation Regions programme when your region opens calls for participation — identify your local authority's digital champion or lead and make contact now.
SMEs offering 5G-enabled products, services or applications in any sector — The strategy commits up to £40 million for regions and local authorities to establish 5G Innovation Regions, explicitly to drive business and public service adoption of 5G. Early engagement with local authorities increases your chance of being included.
2. Reposition your offer to highlight 5G or wireless-enabled capability, as new hospitals are now required to be 5G or equivalent wireless enabled — making this a procurement prerequisite.
SMEs supplying health tech, hospital equipment, or digital services to the NHS — The strategy announces that all new hospitals will be 5G or equivalent wireless enabled, creating a growing procurement baseline that suppliers without wireless-ready solutions may not meet.
3. Register on the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) frameworks relevant to your product or service, and actively promote your 5G credentials — government has committed to using CCS to drive demand for 5G use cases.
SMEs selling 5G use cases or digital connectivity solutions to the public sector — The strategy explicitly commits to 'bringing the full purchasing power of government to support public sector adoption, and working with the Crown Commercial Service to drive demand for 5G use cases.'
4. Engage with your local authority's 5G Innovation Region bid process and flag your 5G use case interest — agri-tech is a named focus of the rural connectivity programme and innovation fund.
SMEs in agri-tech, rural services, or any business operating in rural areas — The strategy names agri-tech as a key focus of 5G Innovation Regions and the wider adoption campaign, and commits a Rural Connectivity Champion to remove deployment barriers in rural areas.
5. Prepare for spectrum licence applications to become easier: from 2024, shared access spectrum licence applications will be automated via Ofcom — review whether a shared access licence could unlock a new deployment or use case for your business.
SMEs providing private wireless networks, neutral host infrastructure, or IoT connectivity solutions — The strategy commits to 'the automation of shared access spectrum licence applications by 2024', directly reducing a barrier for private network and IoT providers.
6. Monitor Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Future Telecoms Research Hubs for collaboration or subcontract opportunities linked to the up-to-£100 million 6G investment.
SMEs interested in 6G research and development partnerships — The strategy commits up to £100 million in future telecoms R&D through EPSRC hubs — SMEs with relevant technical capability can seek to participate as industry partners in funded research consortia.
7. If you are a mobile network operator or connectivity supplier, confirm with the relevant Freeport or Investment Zone authority that you are registered to claim available spectrum or infrastructure relief.
SMEs bidding for contracts in Freeports or Investment Zones — The strategy commits to 'ensuring eligible mobile network operators benefit from the relief available in Freeports, Investment Zones and other economic areas with similar regimes', which may reduce your cost base in those locations.
8. Watch for procurement opportunities linked to rail connectivity improvement programmes (including Project Reach and neutral host concessions) — Ofcom will now report annually on rail coverage, increasing political pressure to invest.
SMEs in transport, rail supply chain, or trackside infrastructure — The strategy asks Ofcom to report annually on mobile coverage on UK mainline rail routes and notes Network Rail's Project Reach seeking private investment for a 30-year neutral host concession on key routes.
Every rule below quotes the official document verbatim.
The government has set a new headline ambition for nationwide coverage of standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030. (All UK populated areas including rural; applies to mobile network operators and government planning)
“We are therefore setting a new headline ambition for the UK to have nationwide coverage of standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030.”
Widespread adoption of 5G is projected to bring a cumulative productivity benefit of £159 billion by 2035. (UK economy overall)
“widespread adoption of 5G can bring a cumulative productivity benefit of £159 billion by 2035”
Up to £40 million is being provided to regions and local authorities to establish themselves as '5G Innovation Regions'. (Regions and local authorities across the UK; relevant to businesses that operate in or partner with those regions)
“providing up to £40 milion for regions and local authorities across the UK to establish themselves as '5G Innovation Regions' to promote innovation and growth through investment in, and scaled adoption of, 5G and other advanced wireless technologies by business and public services”
The government will invest up to £100 million in future telecoms research and development, including through EPSRC Future Telecoms Research Hubs, to support 6G. (Research institutions and telecoms R&D sector; relevant to SMEs in telecoms innovation)
“investing up to £100 million in future telecoms research and development, including through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's (EPSRC) Future Telecoms Research Hubs, putting the UK at the forefront of the diverse 6G research agenda”
The government will bring the full purchasing power of the Crown Commercial Service to drive public sector demand for 5G use cases. (All suppliers offering 5G-enabled products or services to the public sector)
“bringing the full purchasing power of government to support public sector adoption, and working with the Crown Commercial Service to drive demand for 5G use cases”
New hospitals will be 5G or equivalent wireless enabled. (Healthcare sector; relevant to suppliers of hospital infrastructure and health tech)
“today, we are announcing that our new hospitals will be 5G or equivalent wireless enabled - with this crucial step, we will be in the position to take advantage of cutting-edge healthcare innovations”
The government will undertake a nationwide campaign to drive 5G adoption by business. (All businesses, including SMEs in all sectors)
“undertaking a nationwide campaign to drive 5G adoption by business”
Ofcom will automate shared access spectrum licence applications by 2024, making it easier for private network providers to access spectrum. (Private network providers and SMEs deploying 5G-enabled solutions requiring spectrum access)
“working with Ofcom to continue to improve access to spectrum, through measures including the automation of shared access spectrum licence applications by 2024”
The government's £5 billion Project Gigabit programme aims to deliver gigabit broadband to at least 85% of premises by 2025 and over 99% by 2030. (All UK premises; relevant to broadband infrastructure suppliers and rural businesses)
“through Project Gigabit, we are investing £5 billion in gigabit broadband networks, with an ambition to get gigabit broadband to at least 85% of premises by 2025 and over 99% by 2030”
The £1 billion Shared Rural Network programme aims to extend 4G geographic mobile coverage to 95% of the UK landmass by end of 2025. (Rural areas; relevant to rural SMEs dependent on mobile connectivity)
“4G geographic mobile coverage will extend to 95% of the UK's landmass through the Shared Rural Network programme, the £1 billion deal with the MNOs announced in March 2020. The programme is on target to deliver by the end of 2025”
5G roll-out in the near term is likely to focus on urban areas where commercial returns are more certain, meaning rural businesses may be underserved. (Rural businesses and areas outside major cities)
“5G roll-out in the near term is likely to focus on urban areas, where the commercial returns are more certain”
A Rural Connectivity Champion will be appointed to report to DSIT and Defra Secretaries of State to remove local barriers and promote digital innovation in rural areas. (Rural areas across the UK)
“we will be appointing a Rural Connectivity Champion to report to DSIT and Defra Secretaries of State to remove local barriers for deployment and promote digitally based innovation in rural areas”
A Digital Infrastructure Advisory Group of regional digital leaders will be established to advise government on how places can promote investment in and adoption of digital connectivity. (Regional and local authorities; relevant to SMEs engaging with local digital strategy)
“establishing a Digital Infrastructure Advisory Group made up of a selection of regional digital leaders to advise the government on how places can act to promote investment in and adoption of digital connectivity”
Local authorities are encouraged to employ digital champions to provide strategic leadership for their own digital infrastructure strategies. (Local authorities; indirectly relevant to SMEs engaging local procurement)
“driving local leadership and coordination, and encouraging local authorities across the UK to employ digital champions to provide strategic leadership for local authorities' own digital infrastructure strategies”
Eligible mobile network operators can benefit from relief available in Freeports, Investment Zones and similar economic areas. (Mobile network operators and suppliers operating in Freeports or Investment Zones)
“ensuring eligible mobile network operators benefit from the relief available in Freeports, Investment Zones and other economic areas with similar regimes”
This briefing is enkii's interpretation of the official document — the official text always governs.
Source document © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0 via the GOV.UK Content API. enkii tracks every Procurement Policy Note and briefs changes the day they land — see all briefings.