THE Scotland 5G Centre (S5GC) will today launch its programme to deliver the next stage of the Scottish Government’s 5G strategy with a series of hubs, as announced in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government.

The hubs will support economic growth through the deployment of 5G services across the country, supported by a £4m investment from the Scottish Government.

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The S5GC is working to build on Scotland’s existing Innovation Centres and government initiatives to accelerate the post-pandemic recovery and address the digital gap that has been highlighted as key to ensuring Scotland’s business, healthcare and education sectors can thrive post-Covid.

The S5GC hubs will promote innovation and investment, focussing on sectors relevant to their local areas – with the first hub serving Forth Valley. The hubs will work with mobile operators and private network providers to accelerate regional 5G networks.

The hubs will aim to enhance Scotland’s overall connectivity by building a national infrastructure that establishes the entire country as a global leader in 5G technologies.

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Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands Paul Wheelhouse said: “The 5G revolution presents a significant opportunity for Scotland in the years ahead, particularly as we look to build the economic recovery on the back of Covid-19.

"Now is the time to develop something special for Scotland, by establishing a framework on which we can enhance and widen digital connectivity in all parts of the country through next-generation technologies.

“The Forth Valley Hub will initially focus on the delivery of digital platforms that support job creation, skills programmes, and innovation support for SME and R&D activities. Its first project will aim to develop a green data recovery platform, which will create a digital twin to support Scotland’s net-zero economy.

“Potential locations for additional hubs across Scotland are being reviewed, with plans for further rollout over the course of 2020 and 2021.

“A study conducted by Deloitte in 2019 found that harnessing enhanced 4G and 5G connectivity could increase Scotland’s GDP by more than £17 billion by 2035.”