The 5G Drive project, led by Virgin Media O2 and part-funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), has rolled out new technology to bring mobile connectivity to 31 popular tourist destinations across the UK that previously had no cellular coverage.
The remote sites are spread out across the UK, with 21 in Wales, five in England and five in Scotland. The locations, which include national parks and famous beauty spots, are sparsely populated, but attract large numbers of visitors, and previously lacked any Wi-Fi or mobile coverage.
The introduction of mobile coverage will have a significant impact on each location, improving safety for visitors and residents, while providing new opportunities for businesses. In some areas the new networks have already been used to carry emergency calls.
The project builds on the Shared Rural Network programme, which is focused on delivering connectivity to rural communities.
In connecting these remote locations, Virgin Media O2 worked with its partners to trial a solution which connects private networks to a public core, offering a secure and efficient way of bringing mobile services to new locations that’s well-suited to remote areas.
In Wales, one of the locations to benefit from the project is South Stack, a nature reserve managed by the RSPB and popular tourist destination in Anglesey. Historically, South Stack has been a “not-spot”, meaning it had no mobile connectivity. The location now has a permanent mobile connectivity solution.
Another site that has received mobile coverage is Honister Pass in the Lake District, where the project has installed three cell sites to connect the area. Using satellite connectivity to carry data to and from the mobile cells, the new sites provide the area with access to Wi-Fi, 2G and 4G connectivity.
Scottish Futures Trust helped in finding suitable locations in Scotland, including to bring connectivity to Barra Airport, with the airport now having comprehensive internet, Wi-Fi, 2G, 4G, and LoRaWAN services. With Starlink providing the backhaul and Wavemobile’s core and radio network in place, the tidal beach airport is now connected to the internet.
Professor David Owens, head of technical trials at Virgin Media O2, said, “Our pioneering project has delivered reliable mobile connectivity to iconic tourist destinations for the first time. The innovative method of connecting private networks to a public core is a great way to help deal with some of the not-spots that exist across the UK. This rollout will provide visitors to some of the most remote and rural of areas with fast and reliable coverage, while also delivering significant benefits for local communities and businesses.”
Anthony Timson, technical director at wavemobile, said, “We are proud to be using British designed and built radio equipment from cellXica, and we have proved that our network can deliver not only great coverage but has the potential to save lives through emergency 999 access, which received over 67 calls since we started delivering sites last year. It has been great to see through our metrics that this project is having a significant impact and it is testament to the support we have had from DSIT, Ofcom and the Welsh and Scottish governments.”
Dr. Robert Gardner, associate director for digital connectivity at Scottish Futures Trust, said, “Developing affordable and sustainable solutions that enhance mobile connectivity in rural areas requires a shift from traditional thinking, and this might be one of the major achievements of 5G Drive. As a direct result of the team’s work we now aim to form a collaborative ecosystem that will explore sustainable options for rural connectivity more widely, working closely with mobile network operators, community groups, local authorities, government, academia, and vendors.”
Rebecca Evans, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning at the Welsh Government, said, “This innovative project is delivering significant digital benefits to some of our most beautiful tourist locations. From safety to convenience and economic opportunity, it is connecting historic and often remote sites to the modern world. I am delighted Wales has been able to secure so many of the roaming services.”