5G Innovation Regions

What is the Borderlands 5G Innovation Region programme?

The Borderlands 5G Innovation Region programme is a pioneering initiative aimed at transforming rural connectivity across the English-Scottish border region. It is part of the UK Government’s broader 5G Innovation Regions programme, which supports the adoption of advanced wireless technologies in ten regions across the UK.

Find out more via the following links:

5G Innovation Region | Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal

5G Innovation Regions: successful regions - GOV.UK

What are the goals of the Borderlands 5G Innovation Region programme?

1)  Prove the commercial case for rural 5G 

  • Prove the commercial case for 5G Mobile Private Networks in rural tourist locations, demonstrating that they can deliver reliable connectivity, support new digital services, and operate sustainably beyond public funding.

2) Enhance tourism experiences

  • Use 5G to deliver smart tourism services such as interactive guides, real-time updates, and augmented reality experiences.  

3) Boost economic growth

  • Support local businesses, attract investment, and create new job opportunities through improved digital infrastructure.

4)  Improve public services

  • Enable better healthcare access, smarter transport, and more efficient emergency services through connected technologies. Counting the numbers of visitors to specific locations helps councils and tourism destinations to plan resources and provision effectively.

5) Support environmental monitoring

  • Deploy sensors and data tools to monitor air and water quality, wildlife, and climate conditions in real time.

6) Create a replicable model

  • Develop a scalable, sustainable approach to rural 5G deployment that can be used in other regions across the UK.

How will Borderlands 5G Innovation Region help the local area?

The Borderlands 5G Innovation Region programme is expected to bring a wide range of benefits to the local area, especially in rural and hard-to-reach communities across Cumbria, Northumberland, Dumfries and Galloway, and the Scottish Borders. 

Here's how it will help:

1) Improved digital connectivity

  • By providing faster, more reliable internet to businesses and communities in busy tourist areas that have traditionally struggled with poor coverage, particularly during peak demand.
  • This connectivity will enable real-time data sharing, video streaming, and cloud-based services.

2) Economic growth and job creation

  • By supporting local businesses in enabling digital tools, e-commerce, and remote working.
  • By attracting new investment and startups in tech, tourism, and creative industries.
  • By enhancing Cumbria’s reputation as a place where people can live and work productively, supported by high-quality digital infrastructure.
  • By creating and sustaining skilled jobs linked to digital connectivity, technology, tourism, and data-driven services.

3) Boost to tourism

  • By enhancing the visitor experience.
  • By enabling real-time updates on transport, weather, and events.
  • By helping to manage visitor flow and environmental impact through data-driven insights.
  • By providing the digital infrastructure that helps businesses operate more efficiently, reduce costs, and improve the quality and responsiveness of services offered to visitors.
  • By supporting improved public and worker safety through better connectivity, enabling faster communication, monitoring, and response in remote or high-visitor areas.

4) Supporting better public services

  • Enabling smart monitoring of infrastructure like the Windermere Ferry.

5) Environmental monitoring

  • Sensors can track air and water quality, water levels and climate data.
  • By helping local authorities and conservation groups make data-informed decisions.

6) Innovation testbed

  • The region will become a living lab for testing new 5G-enabled technologies.
  • It encourages collaboration between councils, universities, local businesses and communities.

Where is the programme based?

The Borderlands 5G Innovation Region programme is based across the Borderlands region, which spans parts of northern England and southern Scotland. Specifically, it includes:

Key Local Authority areas

  • Cumberland
  • Westmorland and Furness
  • Northumberland
  • Dumfries and Galloway
  • Scottish Borders

These areas form part of the Borderlands Partnership, a cross-border collaboration aimed at driving inclusive growth and innovation in rural communities.

Where are the pilot sites?

The programme is being deployed at four key locations:

  1. The Windermere Ferry (Cumbria)
  2. Kielder Castle and Observatory (Northumberland)
  3. Stranraer Marina and Loch Ryan (Dumfries and Galloway)
  4. The Crook Inn (Destination Tweed, Scottish Borders)

These sites were chosen for their tourism potential and connectivity challenges, making them ideal locations for testing the commercialisation potential of the network and demonstrating how it can operate sustainably.

Who will benefit?

The Borderlands 5G Innovation Region programme will benefit a wide range of people and sectors across the region. Here's a breakdown of who will benefit and how:

Public services

  • Remote healthcare and telemedicine in isolated communities.
  • Smarter emergency response with real-time location and communication tools.
  • More efficient transport, waste, and infrastructure management.
  • The use of 5G enabled payment services is making it more efficient for the Ferry Captain to manage passenger operations

Tourists and visitors

  • Smart tourism experiences like interactive guides, real-time updates, and digital trails.
  • Better connectivity at key attractions like Hadrian’s Wall, Lake Windermere and Kielder Forest.
  • Improved transport and visitor information.

Businesses

  • Improved digital infrastructure for local enterprises.
  • New opportunities for innovation and growth, especially in tourism, agriculture, and tech.
  • Enhanced ability to reach customers online and use digital tools.

Local residents

  • Better access to online services

What will the Borderlands 5G Innovation Region programme not do?

It will not replace existing mobile networks – this is not a substitute for commercial mobile networks, instead, it compliments them by filling gaps in rural coverage using private 5G and other technologies in new and innovative ways. 

It will not deliver universal coverage – the programme focuses on specific pilot sites, not full regional or national coverage.

It will not provide a blanket rollout – this programme will deliver targeted deployment.

It does not aim to make a profit.  The infrastructure is designed for community and public benefit and innovation.

The programme will not focus solely on urban areas - the programme is rural-first, aiming to solve challenges unique to remote and sparsely populated regions.

The programme will not provide a one-size fits all solution – the programme uses a hybrid model (5G, fibre, satellite, Wi-Fi etc.) tailored to each site’s needs and does not work by deploying a single tech solution for all.

What is next for the programme?

We are currently finalising delivery of the permanent infrastructure and testing use cases before full operation.  

We will continue to deliver our commercialisation plan, exploring new revenue streams and partnership opportunities to support long-term viability. The programme may also expand to include additional venues and new use cases, extending the benefits of advanced wireless connectivity across the region. Work is already under way to develop a new site in Cumberland that will strengthen the local tourism economy.

How can I follow the work of the programme?

Visit LATEST NEWS | Borderlands page on our website

Sign up to the newsletter by sending your details to info@borderlandsgrowth.com

Follow the programme on LinkedIn - Borderlands 5G Innovation Region | LinkedIn

What is 5G?

Ofcom provide information on this via their website https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/coverage-and-speeds/what-is-5g 

What is the difference between 5G and fibre broadband?

The difference between 5G and fibre broadband lies mainly in how they deliver internet connectivity and where they’re best used:

5G (Fifth generation mobile network) is a wireless/mobile internet technology delivered using radio waves deployed on masts, poles and other infrastructure. Speeds can reach from 100 Mbps to over 1 Gbps (depending on coverage and network capacity).  Latency is very low which makes it ideal for real-time applications like gaming or video calls.  5G is designed for use on the go with no cables needed, only a 5G-compatible device and coverage.  5G is best for mobile uses , or to connect large numbers of devices spread over a wide area where cabling would be impractical.

Fibre Broadband on the other hand is a fixed-line internet service which uses fibre-optic cables to transmit data as light signals.  Speeds are depending on the provider and the plan purchased.  Latency is low as with 5G but services are tied to a physical location like a home or premise.  Installation requires physical cabling making this best for home and business premises.

I have concerns over the safety of 5G, can you point me to some information on this?

Ofcom provide information on this via their website at https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/coverage-and-speeds/what-is-5g