The council's vision is to create a comprehensive 5G ecosystem focused on commercialisation where businesses can access 5G connectivity to develop, trial, and bring new products, services, and applications to market. The project is supported by the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership and the University of Surrey 5G Innovation Centre.

Cellnex UK will build a 5G private network providing indoor and outdoor connectivity in Basing View, which is home to over 100 companies from the professional and financial services, digital tech, cybersecurity and life sciences sectors. The project will also support a 5G Living Lab, where industry partners can highlight technology expertise and foster innovation by providing a range of use cases, including smart city and Internet of Things applications, immersive retail and leisure, AR and VR, mobility and transport and digital health.

Leader of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council Ken Rhatigan said: “5G technology is going to transform the way we all live our lives and deliver significant benefits for our borough’s businesses and encourage more businesses to come and grow here. I am delighted that we have been able to continue our strong track record of partnership with the private sector to attract significant investment to ensure our borough remains a great place to live and work and cement our reputation as a top tech town. We look forward to working with Cellnex and Enterprise M3 to bring our 5G vision to reality.”