Australia supports 5G innovation

Australian business can now apply for grant funding through the Australian 5G Innovation Initiative, to trial commercial uses of 5G technology as part of the Morrison Government’s JobMaker Digital Business Plan. The Initiative will support investment in telecommunications infrastructure and create jobs for Australians.

Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said that the Initiative will encourage more rapid deployment of 5G technology and create real productivity benefits for the Australian economy.

A total of $10 million is available under the Initiative, with businesses able to apply for between $100,000 and $2 million in grant funding.

“I encourage Australian businesses across all sectors to consider how 5G can benefit them and apply for funding through this Initiative,” Minister Fletcher said.

“Whether it is the use of sophisticated sensors on farm animals to provide information about their welfare in real time or using 5G in factories tomonitor machinery to detect faults and do maintenance, reducing breakdowns and increasing efficiency: the opportunities are endless and I  encourage all sectors to tell us how 5G can make a difference to their business.”

An online noticeboard to help businesses connect with other organisations interested in partnering to deliver projects as part of the Initiative is also available. Businesses can add project ideas and short descriptions to the noticeboard, or find potential 5G projects they want to partner with and start a discussion with the project owner.

More information, including the notice board and how to apply, is available at www.communications.gov.au/5GInitiative

Applications for the grant round will open on 19 February 2021 and close at 5pm AEDT on 31 March 2021.