An 18-month scheme to trial a next generation 5G mobile network in central Bath looks set to go ahead.
Bath & North East Somerset Council (B&NES) looks set to secure a government grant for the pilot, which would involve between 200 to 300 volunteers from a broad mix of local communities testing the new network.
5G, which is up to 100 times faster than 4G, is being viewed as key to developing smart, connected cities – not just offering users a more reliable network coverage and better download speeds for video and gaming but ushering in new forms of e-health services and traffic systems such as driverless vehicles.
If the trial, under the government’s ONE (Open Networks Ecosystem) scheme, is successful, the network would then be opened up to the wider public in spring next year.
B&NES said the aim would be to address connectivity and capacity issues in the city centre.
A report to decide whether to accept the £773,132 government grant to make B&NES a partner in the One Word pilot has gone to cabinet member for economic and cultural sustainable development Cllr Paul Roper.
The report highlights a market failure in the sector, with a lack of investment from private telecoms companies made worse by the government restricting some international vendors.
To counter this, the Department for Science Innovation and Technology has issued a series of Open Network Ecosystem (ONE) funding calls to councils, universities and private firms to unlock investment in next generation open mobile networks that multiple vendors can share.
If approved, the Bath pilot would then need to get planning permission to install a network of around 20 small cell radio units in key locations on lamp posts around the heart of the city.
Volunteers taking part in the pilot would be given special high-specification handsets to test the network’s resilience and performance in managing high demand in a dense environment.
Two indoor locations, the Roman Baths and The Rec, have also been identified as options to install additional radio units to test the network.
During the pilot, test events would take place with a high number of users placing high demand on the network in one location, such as sports fixtures and the Bath Christmas Market.
Cllr Roper said: “Digital inequalities, due to skills gaps, cost or coverage can impact on whether someone can access services, goods and employment.
“Surveys carried out by the council show a significant proportion of residents cite connectivity issues as a barrier to accessing services and information online.
“Many of us are familiar with the poor mobile phone reception areas in the city centre, especially on busy days such as a Saturday rugby match at The Rec.
“If successful, this pilot will resolve that issue. That has to be great news.”
While the scope of the pilot would focus on central Bath, there could be potential for additional networks to be added to the high streets of Keynsham and Midsomer Norton.
