The engineering hub, which is due for completion in 2021, will provide a base for UK researchers and businesses to experiment, and will allow teams to test the benefits of hybrid 5G and satellite communications networks.
The hope is that once the technology is demonstrated, the techniques can be rolled out to other businesses across the UK.
The centre is being backed by a European Space Agency contract, and will be carrying out a project to see whether rural communities can be connected to 5G in the most affordable way possible. Currently, the limited range of 5G antennas means the networking standard will be mostly confined to high density population areas like cities, meaning that many rural locales will lose out, at least in the short term.
Huawei initially provided much of the infrastructure needed to supply 5G, but the UK Government ultimately banned its involvement due to the firm’s close ties with the Chinese State. This last minute change could...