Telecoms provider O2 has been revealed as the public and private network provider of 5G connectivity for the testing and development of CAV technology at Millbrook Proving Ground.
O2 will enable 5G connectivity at Millbrook’s testing facilities from June 2019, using its 2.3GHz and 3.4GHz spectrum, ahead of the first phase of its 5G roll-out in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London later this year.
The on-site network consists of 59 sites and 89 small cells and is operated by British wireless solution provider Dense Air. Under a 12-month agreement with the AutoAir project, O2 will integrate the sites and small cells into its public infrastructure.
The AutoAir 5G project aims to accelerate the adoption of connected and self-driving technology in the UK, via trials supported by members including Dense Air, Airspan Networks, Millbrook, Blu Wireless, Real Wireless, the University of Surrey’s 5G Innovation Centre, and the R&D arm of motorsport racing team McLaren.
Engineering firm Atkins recently joined the consortium, having signed an agreement to lend its design and engineering expertise to the project, alongside O2.
“The AutoAir consortium is pleased to welcome O2 and Atkins to the second phase of the project”, said Paul Senior, CEO of Dense Air and chief strategy officer of Airspan Networks.
“O2’s integration and commercialization of the 5G network at Millbrook to support both public and private mobile use cases is a world first and will be a reference deployment for the UK mobile industry as it moves to support 5G applications for Industry 4.0, large enterprise and government.