Scotland 5G Centre (S5GC): evaluation

Executive Summary

Introduction

This report presents the findings of an independent evaluation of the Scotland 5G Centre (S5GC), which was core-funded by the Scottish Government from October 2019 to October 2025.^[1]

The S5GC was established as Scotland's national hub to accelerate the deployment and adoption of 5G connectivity across industry and the public sector. It was a partnership between the Scottish Government, academia, and industry, aiming to unlock Scotland's digital potential. Despite challenges in mobile connectivity, particularly in rural areas, the S5GC aimed to drive economic growth, close the digital divide, foster collaboration, and stimulate innovation.

The evaluation, commissioned by the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser (OCEA) and conducted by EKOS between August 2025 and January 2026, aimed to provide a qualitative assessment of the impact of the S5GC’s support on businesses and organisations. The evaluation explored the extent to which the S5GC facilitated the adoption of new technology, the subsequent impacts on productivity, efficiency, and growth, and the effectiveness of the S5GC’s support in bidding for funding.

Evaluation Process

The evaluation method included a desk review of information and data provided by the Scottish Government and the S5GC, 22 remote interviews with S5GC staff and stakeholders, and 15 remote interviews with organisations that engaged with the S5GC.

The evaluation focused on the qualitative impacts of the S5GC’s support, including the facilitation of technology adoption, the effectiveness of support in bidding for funding, and areas for improvement.

S5GC Setup, Funding, and Delivery Phases

The S5GC's programme of activity is described in three broad phases, though these phases overlapped significantly.

The S5GC was proposed by the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde and the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) following the publication of the Scottish Government's 5G Strategy. The proposal aimed to leverage the universities' research expertise to develop 5G use cases and user cases, facilitate industry engagement, and create conditions for 5G deployment. The S5GC was initially funded with £5.3 million from the Scottish Government and was hosted at the University of Strathclyde.

The first phase focused on accelerating 5G deployment through three Wave 1 projects: the Rural Project, the University of Glasgow 5G Urban Innovation District Test Bed, and the Infralink Project. These projects delivered significant innovations, including the 5G New Thinking Toolkit, a 5G rural environment in Orkney, and a 5G-enabled Smart Campus in Glasgow. The projects also supported spin-out companies, job creation, and international collaborations.

The S5GC shifted towards greater SME engagement and initiated the 5G Connect Hubs programme, establishing seven regional hubs to provide access to 5G networks for testing and application. The S5GC's activities were structured around four pillars: Coverage, 5G Support, Engagement, and Innovation.

The S5GC provided advice, support, and access to test facilities to enable innovation and investment. Towards the end of 2022, the S5GC faced leadership changes and a reduction in Scottish Government funding, leading to a refocus of activities and a reduction in staff.

The S5GC continued to deliver funding programmes and host international delegations to promote 5G capabilities until its closure in October 2025.

The S5GC received a total of £15,371,000 in grant funding from the Scottish Government, with expenditure totalling £15,311,823 by March 2025. The funding was adjusted a number of times to meet the increasing operational needs of the S5GC. S5GC also benefitted from third party funding for 5G innovation projects, some of which supported related staff and operational costs.

Wave 1 Impacts

A previous independent assessment of the Wave 1 projects found significant impacts, primarily driven by the University of Glasgow 5G Testbed.^[2] The assessment identified follow-on funding of £20 million, significant expansion in the research team, and the attraction of 70 PhD students, generating £2.4 million in additional fees. That report noted that none of these impacts would have happened without the S5GC funding. The net additional Gross Value Added (GVA) associated with all Wave 1 projects was £13.93 million, with a return on investment (ROI) of 1:3.67.

Business Engagement

The S5GC engaged with organisations and projects across various sectors, with the highest engagement in Food and Drink, Technology, and Manufacturing. The S5GC categorised engagements into stages, from Awareness to Use Case Completion. As would be expected, there were higher levels of engagement in the Awareness and Discussion stages, with fewer organisations progressing to more in-depth use-case development. The S5GC reported, via a series of case studies, positive impacts, including productivity gains, cost savings, safety improvements, and new revenue generation.

Feedback from Organisation Supported

Interviews with organisations that received S5GC support revealed generally positive experiences, with high levels of satisfaction with initial engagement, technical advice, and ongoing communication. The support helped organisations develop awareness and understanding of 5G, address barriers to adoption, and achieve a range of outcomes, including cost savings and productivity gains. The level of additionality associated with the S5GC's support was assessed as high, with most beneficiaries reporting that their projects would not have happened or would have been significantly delayed without the S5GC's support.

Summary and Conclusions

Despite various operational challenges and inconsistent reporting, the evaluation found evidence of impacts arising from the S5GC. The early focus on research activities led to further investment and enhanced Scotland's reputation in 5G research. The shift towards business engagement, while initially less successful, still delivered a range of benefits for businesses, including cost savings, productivity gains, and new revenue generation. The S5GC also helped secure investment into 5G innovation projects in Scotland.

However, the S5GC's impact could have been greater with more stable funding, clearer objectives, stronger partnerships with mobile network operators, and better integration with the wider innovation support system.