5G
5G is more than just another upgrade in the mobile telecoms landscape. 5G promises to become the underpinning technology for the entire global digital economy, capable of generating trillions of pounds of value.
The Innovate UK Business Connect Digital team is at the heart of the UK’s strategic plans for 5G, determined to help shape the future of this technology. 5G is of key importance to the UK economy. The Government is coordinating efforts to accelerate making 5G a reality and is funding trials of the technology, ground-breaking applications and innovative business partnerships across urban and rural applications.
Innovate UK Business Connect is a founding delivery partner of the UK5G Innovation Network, using its deep expertise and collaborative approach to support the network. UK5G is dedicated to the promotion of research, collaboration and the commercial application of 5G in the UK.
UK5G facilitates the engagement and coordination of organisations working on 5G activities in the UK. As part of the network, Innovate UK Business Connect helps strengthen powerful connections between research and development activities across telecoms and other sectors, including the UK Government’s 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme.
The UK5G network has created 7 sector working groups to focus on the real-world benefit and applications of 5G.
To enable and facilitate deeper cross sector collaboration, a vendor directory has recently been created.
Click here to see all open funding opportunities in the Digital sector.
Related Opportunities
Solution Development for Advanced Connectivity Technologies
Opens: 01/04/2026 Closes: 13/05/2026
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £25m to develop secure, sustainable or sovereign connectivity technologies that support the UK’s Advanced Connectivity Technologies programme.
More Information
Contracts for Innovation: Advanced Connectivity Technologies (ACT) – Call 1
Opens: 01/04/2026 Closes: 03/06/2026
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of £15m to develop near term, testable solutions that advance the UK’s Secure & Resilient and Sustainable Network Grand Challenges through deployable prototypes on UK testbeds.
More Information
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Join Innovate UK as an Expert Assessor in Advanced Connectivity Technologies
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