As the Future Network Programmes conclude, UKTIN is working with DSIT to reflect on the government-funded projects, outlining the key outcomes and the lessons learned to help improve future telecoms initiatives.
The £74 billion UK tourism industry is one of the largest sectors of the UK economy, and the government has announced a new ambition to welcome 50 million international visitors per year by 2030 as part of its plans for the country to remain one of the most visited worldwide.
Growth in the tourism industry beyond London is at the heart of this strategy. While the capital brings in tens of millions of visitors annually, there is vast potential for increasing visits to other cities and regions by better celebrating our culture and creating a seamless experience. Delivering connected experiences can be key to this strategy and many current DSIT-funded projects focus on tourism.
The Borderlands 5G Innovation Region
Rural tourism is a key part of the Borderlands economy. The region has fewer than 1 million residents, most of whom live in Cumbria, but welcomed more than 63 million visitors in 2019. Due to the levels of visitors to the region, there is very high demand for connectivity but historically rural areas have struggled to attract commercial investment.
The Borderlands 5GIR project has therefore focused on 5G deployment and sustainability models to support tourist operations and the visitor experience, enhancing digital engagement and storytelling at five venues: Destination Tweed; Kielder; Hadrian’s Wall; Stranraer; and Windermere. It is anticipated that additional venues will be selected for further deployment after March 2025.
Jonathan Harris, Cumberland Council, said, “Tourism is at the heart of the Borderlands economy, welcoming tens of millions of visitors annually and providing a vital source of employment and investment for the region. However, rural connectivity has long been a barrier to innovation in the sector. The Borderlands 5G Innovation Region is transforming the visitor experience by enhancing digital engagement and storytelling while enabling local businesses, public services, and world heritage sites to fully leverage advanced wireless technology. This project is not just about connectivity—it’s about redefining how people explore and experience one of the UK’s most historic and scenic regions.”
The Ayrshire Digital Economy
The Ayrshire 5G Innovation Region Tourism project is trialling advanced wireless solutions, including Wi-Fi and future 5G capabilities, to provide event organisers and visitors with the digital infrastructure needed to maximise economic impact. The county’s tourism industry welcomes over 11 million visitors annually and plays a vital role in the regional economy yet connectivity challenges limit opportunities to host bigger events.
The initiative is being delivered across three key event sites: Harbourside in North Ayrshire, the Low Green in South Ayrshire, and Dean Castle Country Park in East Ayrshire. By enhancing digital connectivity, the project enables event organisers to scale operations, host more events, and increase visitor dwell time and spending—boosting local businesses, hospitality, and the wider supply chain.
Ayrshire is also establishing a Regional Smart Infrastructure Group to ensure long-term economic impact, bringing together event organisers, local businesses, and technology partners to explore how digital connectivity can continue to drive growth. A Digital Ambassador Programme will also support the upskilling and innovation to increase the adoption of digital tools, ensuring Ayrshire remains a competitive, connected, and future-ready tourism destination.
Julia McMurdie, Programme Lead for the Ayrshire 5G Innovation Region, said: "By investing in smart digital infrastructure, we are improving connectivity and creating a stronger, more competitive visitor economy. This initiative supports event organisers, attracts more investment, and ensures Ayrshire remains a premier destination for large-scale events and tourism-led economic growth."
CORE
Cambridge is set to experience the next generation of mobile technology as the Cambridgeshire Open RAN Ecosystem (CORE) project, led by Connecting Cambridgeshire, begins trials of an advanced 5G Open RAN network. The stand-alone network can handle the data demands of busy urban paces, facilitating tourism and large-scale events.
From February to March 2025, the project will host a series of immersive, 5G-powered activities in the city, inviting volunteers to get involved, including a live augmented reality music performance; an interactive art installation; and a high-tech live-streamed gaming experience.
Cllr Lorna Dupré, Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Environment and Green Investment Committee said: “This is an incredibly exciting moment for Cambridge. The CORE project showcases how 5G technology can enhance the way we connect, work, and experience our city. By testing cutting-edge applications in real-life settings, we’re unlocking opportunities to transform public spaces, support businesses, and offer residents new, immersive experiences.”
Michael Stevens, Programme Manager continued: "The deployment of the private 5G Open RAN network in Cambridge has allowed us to work collaboratively across a host of partners with expertise including telecoms, AI/big data and Augmented Reality to bring real-world opportunities to our local authority partners, businesses, residents and visitors by utilising 5G connectivity. The upcoming showcase events will be the highlight of this collaboration that will demonstrate the capabilities of 5G to enable innovations in the leisure and tourism industry whilst simultaneously testing new developments in the Service Management and Orchestration platform that drives optimisation of the network."
5G ONE4HDD
5G ONE4HDD has created a novel solution to optimise mobile network performance in high-demand-density environments such as music festivals, sporting events, and major public gatherings. This was demonstrated in Kent at the 2024 British Superbike Championship final race.
Deploying a Mobile 'Cell on Wheels' equipped with O-RAN technology offers reliable connectivity in crowded venues, enhancing the user experience. The team is also exploring the provision of a wide range of services such as 'over-the-top’ video streaming, social media connectivity, emergency broadcasts, standard telephony, and innovative 5G broadcast services.
Alex Buchan, Digital TV Group, said: “The consumer demonstration of ONE4HDD at Brands Hatch Super Bikes UK Final was a fantastic culmination of months of innovation and collaboration. We've shown that 5G can dramatically improve the fan experience at live events by ensuring uninterrupted access to high-quality content. We’re proud to have led such a forward-looking consortium, and this is only the beginning for what we can achieve with 5G in the media industry, unlocking commercial impasses and driving this innovative technology towards live, real-world deployments.”
ONE WORD
Led by Telet, ONE WORD has successfully deployed five distinct ORAN combination 5G SA platforms across six fixed locations, including the City of Bath, around Cardiff's Principality Stadium, the historic Shelsley Walsh motorsport venue, and Shrewsbury's Quarry Park. The initiative supported hundreds of market stall traders at 12 events over the summer.
A Near Real Time RAN Intelligent Controller provides management and orchestration functions for the 5G SA Open RAN through xApps developed by The University of Lancaster, a consortium partner including AI techniques to improve spectrum utilisation and energy efficiency. In addition, an Integration Centre in Bath has been created to stage deployments and train technical apprentices.
Matthew McCloskey, Project Facilitator said: “ The feedback from the people running the stalls and events indicates that revenues have increased and our performant network has improved their experience compared with previous events. Whilst these represent significant achievements, the development of skills - especially via two apprentices - and products within the project is our number one achievement.”
