David Cameron has outlined his government’s plans for 5G in the UK, which will be fast enough to download full feature length movies in a second.
In his keynote speech at the CeBIT exhibition Germany, the British Prime Minister announced that the UK and Germany would collaborate on the development of 5G.
Cameron said that the collaborationwould involve the University of Dresden, King’s College University in London and the University of Surrey, which has already opened up an international 5G test centre, sharing data and ideas.
“This is a world on fast forward. A world of permanent technological revolution. And in this world, countries like the UK and Germany will only succeed if we have a relentless drive for new ideas and innovations,” he said.
The government plans to invest £45 million on research not only into 5G technologies but also the internet of things and strengthening the EU’s digital single market.
The so-called IoT (Internet of Things) refers to a wide variety of connected devices and systems. Smart energy monitors like Nest, Hive and Evohome – which potentially allow for customers to make huge savings on energy bills – are Things as are the street lights and police cars in Chattanooga, Tennessee in the States.
Cameron added: “I see the Internet of Things as a huge transformative development – a way of boosting productivity, of keeping us healthier, making transport more efficient, reducing energy needs, tackling climate change.”
“We are on the brink of a new industrial revolution and I want us – the UK and Germany – to lead it. Take British ingenuity in software, services and design, add German excellence in engineering and industrial manufacturing and together we can lead in this new revolution.”
Currently the UK telecoms regulator Ofcom wants to have a 5G auction underway by 2018. Tech giant Samsung, which is a partner of the University of Surrey’s research centre, has already managed to demonstrate speeds of 1Gbps using technology which would be used in future 5G hardware.
The government wants every home in the UK to be fitted with a smart meter, allowing people to remotely review and control heating and energy, by 2020.
Image: gov.uk
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