Australia’s 5G Innovation Initiative

The Government is taking the next step on its 5G Innovation Initiative, today releasing a discussion paper to seek input from interested parties. The Initiative is part of the Government’s JobMaker Digital Business Plan and will support businesses to trial new 5G uses.

5G is a platform for improved productivity growth. The potential for new and improved products, and better efficiency in production, means that 5G will have an economic effect well beyond any short-term commercial return. 5G is estimated to add $1,300 to $2,000 in gross domestic product per person after the first decade of the rollout.

The $22.1 million Initiative will fund trials demonstrating different future 5G uses, including Internet of Things applications, which will help build Australia’s 5G ecosystem. These projects will assist businesses of all sizes to test and develop 5G applications, services and products. Funding recipients will pilot ways of using 5G in their businesses that will help create the commercial incentive for other businesses to adopt 5G solutions and for carriers to accelerate their 5G rollouts.

Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP said he welcomed input from all interested parties.

“Businesses that can develop 5G applications that improve productivity will have a significant ‘first mover’ advantage, and I want to encourage companies in Australia to adopt new digital technologies of benefit to the economy. 2021 will be the ‘Year of 5G’, and our investment in these 5G trials supports this.”

The Initiative will be an open and competitive grants program with two rounds of funding over three years. The grant guidelines will be developed based on feedback to the discussion paper. Submissions close on 11 December 2020.

/Public Release. View in full here.