NTCA Future Connectivity Partnership

• Total project funding: £496,916
• Location: North East, sub areas of.
• Partners: North of Tyne Combined Authority; Northumberland County Council; North Tyneside Borough Council; Newcastle City Council; South Tyneside Council; Sunderland City Council; Connected Places Catapult; Sitenna; Farrpoint

About this Pilot

Through our Partnership we will make it easier, faster, and cheaper for Mobile Network Operators and communities to deploy digital connectivity infrastructure by reusing public assets, streamlining local processes, and standardising our agreement with operators. Through greater visibility of assets and a single point of engagement with us, we will accelerate the deployment of digital infrastructure in the locality to remedy the regional disparity in full-fibre and 5G availability. Our collective aim is to make it easier for operators to deploy assets in our region, and therefore increase connectivity exponentially. Through this and other investment, we will deliver the tele-communications resources that are required to enable our people, our businesses, and our communities to flourish.

The pilot will achieve this through delivering:

• A redesigned process that makes it easier for operators to know which assets are available and what types of equipment these assets can take
• An improved user-experience, from both a Local Authority and Operator perspective
• Continued internal upskilling and barrier busting capacity in Local Authorities to build a sustainable approach

This DCMS investment is important recognition of our drive to improve digital connectivity for businesses, residents and communities in the North of Tyne Combined Authority (NTCA).   Working with our Partners in Sunderland and South Tyneside and across the North East, we are building the collaboration that will keep the region at the forefront of 5g and digital innovation.  This partnership with DCMS will help us reinforce our position as a key tech and digital cluster and unlock further infrastructure investment. It will add to our own £20m+ investment in ‘NTCA Digital’ – direct investment into the tech-ecosystem here which is driving digital innovation, growth, talent pipeline and inward investment.

Dr Henry Kippin, Managing Director, North of Tyne Combined Authority

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