The funding commitment supports the Government’s Wireless Infrastructure Strategy to use alternative technologies to reach the unconnected
£160m for satellite connectivity
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is exploring a £160m programme to fund next-generation satellite communications development. The Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit (CLEO) scheme would build on the established and growing satellite industry by providing domestic researchers and businesses with critical support – from hardware to AI – to drive the development of new constellations. £100m would be directed towards propelling the UK’s capabilities and long-term ambitions in the space sector, while £60m would focus on commercialisation and could come from the European Space Agency’s (ESA) UK-backed Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme.
Helping extend broadband coverage to every corner of the UK
The CLEO initiative would represent the UK’s largest investment in satellite communications to date and follows the reintroduction of the National Space Council, reflecting the country’s renewed mission to become a space superpower. The funding would also build significantly on the £8m pledged by the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy (WIS) to bring satellite connectivity to 35,000 premises in the most remote areas. The CLEO programme would be complemented by a range of live 5G integration projects (such as the ESA testing facility in Harwell, Oxfordshire), while supporting the Government’s priorities for ‘Future Telecoms’ set out in its Science and Technology Framework.
£40m to accelerate 5G adoption
Alongside its satellite announcement, DSIT has launched a £40m fund for local and regional authorities to boost connectivity for residents and businesses, and to accelerate the use of 5G in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare and transport. The government grants will establish ‘5G Innovation Regions’, which are intended to ensure that communities in towns, cities and rural areas across the UK can take full advantage of the benefits of advanced wireless connectivity and digital technologies, as well as attract commercial investment to grow the economy. The initiative ticks off a stated aim of the WIS to drive local leadership and coordination, and promote innovation through the scaled adoption of 5G, and will remain open for applications until 10 September 2023.
