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West Midlands 5G awards O2-led consortium accelerator contracts for three cities

Jasper Hart
March 27, 2020

Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton to bring 5G benefits to businessesWest Midlands 5G, the organisation set up to promote 5G technology in the region, has awarded a major 5G accelerator contract to an O2-led consortium.

The consortium unveiled its first accelerator in Birmingham today, with additional locations to arrive in Wolverhampton and Coventry later this year.

The accelerators will consist of office and demonstration spaces featuring 5G technology in indoor and outdoor spaces. They will have private networks for businesses to trial 5G features that are not yet commercially available.

West Midlands 5G estimates that at least 2,000 private sector businesses and public sector organisations in the region will be able to benefit from the accelerators over the next five years.

It added that it was reviewing remote access options for businesses in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Other member’s of O2’s consortium include Deloitte, Wayra and Digital Catapult.

O2 COO Derek McManus said: “O2 has championed 5G business innovation for a while now and we are incredibly pleased to have been awarded this contract. Being able to help businesses in the West Midlands realise the potential of 5G is a fantastic opportunity and something we are excited to bring our expertise to. Our own consortium – alongside our collaborators, Deloitte, Wayra and Digital Catapult – worked very hard to win this contract and we look forward to bringing this to life.”

West Midlands 5G managing director Robert Franks added: “The West Midlands has a
proud heritage leading the previous industrial revolution. Through the 5G
accelerators that we’re launching in partnership with O2 and its consortium, our
region is in prime position to lead the next industrial revolution.”

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