West Midlands 5G (WM5G) has partnered with Built Environment Networking (BEN) and industry leaders to explore how 5G can address challenges in the built environment.
The two-part event, How 5G Will Change Our Lives Forever, and What it Means for Your Business, will feature a range of talks from sector experts to support SMEs to understand how 5G and other advanced connectivity tools can be used to find solutions to current and future sector challenges.
The event will take place virtually across two days, on Tuesday 8th and Tuesday 15th February 2022, and is fully funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is free to attend for qualifying SMEs*.
A range of experts from WM5G and wider organisations will be providing insight into the practical ways in which 5G can tackle key challenges faced in the built environment, by transforming functionality and opportunities across transport, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors.
WM5G has worked with a range of partners, local authorities, and mobile network operators across the region to develop trials that showcase the benefits of 5G and increase uptake across the region. In 2020, the West Midlands was ranked the best connected region in the UK, coming in top position in umlaut’s Audit Report of 5G coverage in the UK.
The latest mobile technology, 5G, promises significant advantages over other networks, delivering superfast and reliable connectivity, increased capacity, and low latency. However, there are still many challenges that lie ahead in the deployment of 5G in urban environments.
Drawing on previous experience with infrastructure acceleration, WM5G are bridging the gap between Mobile Network Operators, Infrastructure Providers and Local Authorities to accelerate the roll-out of 5G and fibre networks across the West Midlands. Through their ‘barrier busting’ approach, WM5G are improving mobile coverage in both urban and suburban settings, cutting deployment time by more than 6-12 months in some areas.
Experts from WM5G will be joined by leaders from Built Environment Networking and other leading sector organisations, including Tony Sceales, Head of Programme Development at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS), who will be reflecting on the current state of 5G and how it will transform our lives.
Attendees will also learn from the key challenges, opportunities and innovations found within the 5PRING construction, transport, and smart cities programmes, with discussions with experts from partners Clarke Telecom, Galliford Try, Wolverhampton Council and the Black Country Consortium.
Neil Carter, previously Chief Technology Officer of IoT Foundry, will also be on hand to talk all things 5G and the Internet of Things, alongside Sunny Claire, Senior Business Growth Specialist at Enterprise Europe Network, who will be outlining the funding and business support opportunities available to SMEs.
Rhys Enfield, Director of Infrastructure Acceleration at WM5G, says:
“We are very much looking forward to welcoming local businesses to our event with Built Environment Networking to explore the possibilities and opportunities that 5G can bring to urban settings. “By breaking down the barriers to implementing advanced connectivity tools like 5G, we are helping businesses to realise the benefits of the technology, with over 50 tested and proven transformational use cases in infrastructure, transport, manufacturing and healthcare. We look forward to welcoming everyone and sharing our experiences to build a more adaptable sector for the future.”
To sign up for the event, please follow click here. To find out more about the work of WM5G, please visit the website: https://www.wm5g.org.uk/.