The ‘Liverpool 5G Create: Connecting Health and Social Care’ initiative was awarded the money by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, following a UK-wide competition. The funding was awarded as part of the latter’s 5G testbed and trials programme.
Speaking of the project, a spokesperson said: “The network will reduce digital poverty for vulnerable people in need, providing safe, free and accessible connectivity to services, including health, social care and education.“
Project lead, professor Joe Spencer of the University of Liverpool, said: “This is a great opportunity to develop technology that can change people’s lives, enabling affordable connectivity and reducing digital poverty.” The project builds on the previous 5G Health and Social Care Testbed in Kensington, Liverpool.
According to a statement, the new funding will be used increase the network area, with the original testbed centred around Liverpool’s Kensington area. It will also help “upgrade the existing mmWave nodes, integrate small cell technology and trial a range of new use cases in health and social care.”
The project will run until March 2022, with the aim of developing a blueprint for the use of private 5G networks in public services.
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