For years, 5G has been marketed as a game-changer. But until recently, the practical benefits for most businesses remained out of reach. That’s starting to shift.
Today, we’re seeing real examples of UK businesses using 5G not just to improve what they do – but to entirely rethink how they do it. This has resulted in new products, new business models, and a new wave of behind-the-scenes R&D that many businesses aren’t even recognising as such.
Where 5G Is Making an Impact
Healthcare:
NHS trials and private providers are exploring remote diagnostics, wearable patient monitors, and mobile clinics connected via 5G. These solutions demand fast, ultra-reliable data transfer; and they’re pushing boundaries in areas like signal prioritisation, custom firmware development, and integration with legacy IT systems.
Transport & Mobility:
In the UK’s evolving smart city landscape, 5G is powering vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, traffic flow optimisation, and autonomous vehicle testing. The complexity of syncing real-time data between moving systems requires serious R&D into latency handling, data integrity, and network resilience.
Media & Entertainment:
Broadcasters and tech startups are creating immersive live experiences, from multi-angle sports streaming to VR concerts, built on 5G’s low latency and high bandwidth. Behind the scenes, developers are designing new encoding algorithms, content editing/delivery platforms, and user interface experiences that can adapt dynamically to mobile 5G environments.
Agriculture:
5G and next-generation wireless networks are transforming agriculture in the UK and the world at large by addressing chronic connectivity gaps on farms. In addition to driving productivity, 5G empowers a greener and more resilient food system – supporting sustainable resource management, lowering carbon footprints, and opening the door to fully automated, data-driven farming.
Examples of Publicly Available R&D Case Studies
Excelerate Technology have deployed infrastructure along Dorset’s Jurassic Coast to support 5G connectivity for coastal safety trials. This setup features Surf Condition Monitoring (SCM) buoys that were provided by Jet Engineering. The network connection was facilitated by the Satellite Applications Catapult’s 5G Centre located in Westcott, Buckinghamshire. This deployment marked the UK’s first use of satellite backhaul in a 5G network and includes the world’s first standalone 5G network operating on the 700 MHz band. You can read further about this deployment here
The Future of Food research led by Wessex Internet provided several 5G private networks across clusters of agriculture and aquaculture farms. The workstream also used existing coverage to connect sensors across farms. The purpose of this research was to prove that by using next generation wireless networks, modern farming can become more productive and environmentally friendly – read here
The Innovation Behind the Scenes
What’s often overlooked is the technical experimentation required to make these innovations possible. Businesses aren’t just deploying off-the-shelf solutions, they are:
- Developing and testing bespoke applications
- Solving new problems with latency, bandwidth optimisation, and reliability
- Trialling and refining infrastructure that didn’t exist five years ago
- Experimenting with 5G integration
- Creating or improving technology to enable 5G-driven products or services
Innovation in this space requires R&D for software, hardware and networks and for UK businesses, these innovations are highly patentable and eligible for valuable R&D tax relief and various innovation grants. This could mean, depending on the R&D scheme, a UK company investing in this space could receive UK government support of between £ 10.53- 33.35 for every £100 it invests in qualifying R&D activities and expenditure.
How can InnoFund add value to businesses involved in 5G and 6G?
InnoFund is a valuable partner to telecoms businesses aiding our client’s innovation through a variety of services, whether you need to speak to an expert to overcome a technical hurdle or assistance in grant or innovation tax proposals. InnoFund commonly helps telecommunications companies in;
– Full R&D lifecycle consulting – powered by SecuRD®
– R&D Tax process optimisation
– Grant application and submission
– Identifying, Protecting and exploiting IP assets
– Designing new patents or engineering tweaks to existing IP through InnoGuard®
– Patent Box tax relief optimisation
– Full Capital Allowance reviews for equipment and building premises
Dr Sande is a leading voice in electronic engineering and telecommunications and works as the main point of contact in your innovation journey with InnoFund.
Closing Thoughts
5G is no longer “the future”. It’s here, and it’s enabling real transformation, especially for UK businesses willing to innovate. And with the right approach, the cost of that innovation can be reduced through InnoFund.
If your team is working on product development involving 5G, it’s worth speaking to us to see how we can aid your innovation. InnoFund can assist you with your tax relief claims and grant applications, including resolving any enquiries into the claims/applications.
Please reach out for a confidential chat here, call us on 020 4583 1267 or send an email to info@innofund.uk.
Article written by:
John McCabe
Commercial Associate
