WORCESTERSHIRE has been chosen as the home for new high-tech mobile technology.

Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has confirmed that the county has been successful in its bid for Government funding to test and explore 5G connectivity.

It has been confirmed the county has been awarded £4.8 million by the Government to develop the new 5G Testbed.

As the next generation of mobile technology, 5G is set to become available within the next three years and industry experts expect it to have a profound impact on the global economy, and the way people live their lives.

The Worcestershire 5G Consortium is launching next month and is to trial the technology through the concept of Industry 4.0.

Worcester firms Worcester Bosch and Yamazaki Mazak have been selected to experiment with preventative and assisted maintenance using robotics, big data analytics and augmented reality.

Entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to test 5G capabilities in a new commercial technology accelerator located at the Malvern Hills Science Park.

The consortium of partners includes Worcestershire County Council, 5GIC at University of Surrey, AWTG, Huawei, O2, BT, and Malvern Hills Science Park.

Mark Stansfeld, chairman of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership said: “We are delighted to have been successful in our bid to help businesses deliver greater productivity using 5G technologies. This highlights the huge ambition of Worcestershire’s innovative public and private sector.

“5G connectivity is set to revolutionise the way that future business will operate both in the UK and globally with key Worcestershire employers leading the way in Industry 4.0. I believe that the introduction of these technologies will have an extremely positive impact impact in allowing businesses to create new innovative products, raise productivity and improve economic growth.

Professor Rahim Tafazolli, director of the 5G Innovation Centre, added: “Worcestershire LEP has demonstrated very advanced vision in its drive to be leading centre for the use of 5G.

"We are particularly excited by the opportunity this will provide to engage the international telecommunications companies."