AWTG is delighted to announce that the Borderlands 5G Innovation Region (5GIR) Programme has been shortlisted for the Access Innovation Award category at this year’s Connected Britain Awards. As the Key Technology and Delivery Partner, AWTG has worked alongside public sector leaders to extend high-performance 5G access into areas long overlooked by traditional rollout strategies proving that rural doesn’t have to mean disconnected.
The Connected Britain Awards shine a spotlight on the UK’s most forward-thinking digital infrastructure initiatives. The Access Innovation Award specifically recognises creative and effective approaches to delivering connectivity in hard-to-reach places. The Borderlands 5GIR Programme reflects this goal in action, with live deployments that demonstrate how private 5G networks combined with edge technologies and local collaboration can transform remote communities through better tourism, smarter services, and digital inclusion.
Delivered through the Borderlands Partnership and supported by Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the programme brings together Cumberland Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council,Northumberland County Council, Scottish Borders Council, Westmorland and Furness Council and Connecting Cumbria. AWTG is proud to have led the end-to-end deployment across four tourism venues each chosen for their logistical challenges and untapped potential. From powering smart ferry systems in Windermere, to trail monitoring in Destination Tweed, environmental data collection in Kielder, and supporting harbour operations in Stranraer, each deployment tells a unique story of what tailored, future-ready connectivity can deliver.
The programme’s strength lies not only in its technology but in its shared vision. By engaging local stakeholders, tourism bodies, and environmental agencies, the Borderlands 5GIR has created infrastructure that supports multiple use cases from visitor experience to conservation and operational safety. Each deployment is more than a test, it’s a practical model for how digital infrastructure can align with real-world needs and public policy.
We invite you to visit us at Connected Britain 2025, taking place on September 24-25 at ExCeL London. As a major sponsor, AWTG will be at Stand 113 to share insights from the Borderlands 5GIR Programme—and explore how next-generation connectivity can empower every place, no matter how remote, to thrive in a digital future.