Consortium responsible for first use of 5G in UK construction develops ‘plug-and-go’ solution

This time, BAM, AttoCore and BRE will be led by UK SME Glideology and joined by Leading Edge Power.

London, 6 February 2023 - The team responsible for delivering the UK’s first private 5G network on a construction site has won funding from Innovate UK to develop an innovative ‘plug-and-go’ solution that can be tailored to the needs of a site and deliver full 5G coverage from the outset. 

With the aim of making this site-transforming tech accessible across the industry, the original team of BAM, AttoCore and BRE are joined by UK SMEs Glideology and Leading Edge Power – with system integrator Glideology leading the project. 

Construction projects are often delivered in geographically remote locations or in urban contexts where connectivity (digital, power and other utilities) is not in place at the start of work- with the location of activity often shifting as projects progress. The need for continuous, high-quality data connectivity in these situations presents a major challenge.

This new solution will supply connectivity straight to site and once activity is complete it can be easily removed and installed at another location. The reusable tech is also completely off-grid with green power generated in situ

Early last year, BAM, AttoCore, and BRE switched on a private, stand-alone 5G network for the first time on a UK construction site. Utilising the network, the team trialled several transformative technologies including construction robotics and remote working facilitators. 

High-speed, low-latency digital connectivity is key to ensuring that these digital solutions can be fully and effectively deployed. The project will accelerate the development and uptake of digital solutions aimed at construction - including autonomous surveying, remote visualisation and teleoperations solutions - improving both productivity and on-site safety.

Colin Evison, Head of Innovation, BAM Nuttall, said: ‘It’s great that we’re taking this technology to the next level. During the previous 5G research and development project, we always had in mind that the next evolution was a simpler plug-and-go solution. We’re sure that with the Innovate UK funding and our new partners Glideology and Leading Edge Power, we can create an industry-transforming solution that will help ensure we have the right digital connectivity to serve the construction industry.’