Page updated: 26 June 2025
Below are clarification questions received about the Belfast 5G Innovation Region funding competition. Email your questions to innovationfunding@belfastcity.gov.uk before 5pm, 27 August 2025.
Clarification questions and answers will be published on this page. Any commercially sensitive or personal information will be removed before publishing.
1. The guidance states that RTOs can apply – can you confirm if this would be individually or as part of a consortium?
A single business or organisation must apply to the competition and, if successful, Belfast City Council will sign a Grand Funding Agreement with the single lead applicant only. The lead applicant can have a range of partners and suppliers, so an RTO may submit an application itself, or may be part of another organisation’s application.
2. Can a university be the lead applicant?
Yes.
3. The statement “testbeds, trials and research will not be funded” – could you please define what is meant by trials in this context? I believe most projects will involve some form of trial or testing.
Trials refers to the research and development stage of the technical solution. The grant funding must be used for the implementation of existing technology solutions and products to enable 5G/advanced wireless use cases. The funding cannot be used for product development, research and development activities, or associated trials or testbeds. The funding can be used for pilots, where an existing solution is tested to assess whether it is suitable for supporting operational use in a specific live environment. For example, on one of a number of production lines or at one of several sites. Such a pilot or “trial” is acceptable.
4. The scheme outline specifies 5G or other advanced wireless. What other wireless technologies qualify for funding? Does there have to be a roadmap to 5G or will other technologies be fully supported?
The competition’s preference is to fund projects that use 5G or support a roadmap to 5G, though other advanced wireless technologies are acceptable. The scoring methodology sets out that projects that use 5G or clearly describe a roadmap to 5G adoption can attract more marks than those that don’t. The Technology section on Page 11 of the guidance document provides examples of advanced wireless technologies.
5. Could you explain again the difference between “Implementation deadline” (31/03/26) and “Grant funding period” (up to 31/03/28) … why the two years difference in final date?
The technical solution and use case (as well as a period of benefits realisation) must be implemented and operational by 31 March 2026. Applicants must continue operation of their use case after 31 March 2026. Belfast City Council may request updates from grant awardees on benefits realisation, case studies and other relevant information up to 31 March 2028.
6. What is the expected schedule for grant payments if one is successful.
There will be up to two grant payments. The first optional grant claim covers eligible costs incurred between October and December 2025 (deadline for submission is 31 January 2026) and a second grant claim covers eligible costs incurred between January and March 2026 (deadline for submission is 30 April 2026).
7. Can a project / deployment be temporary, providing the enabling infrastructure is permanent, i.e. we are often asked to provide 5G coverage for construction sites for comms, safety and digital twinning work, which is then removed afterwards – the expertise and equipment then moves on to the next location.
The operation stage of the project must begin before March 2026 and continue until at least 31 March 2028. A project that does not endure until then is not likely to be eligible, but an applicant project that moves from venue to venue over time could be eligible. The lead applicant must be the use case owner. In the example provided, this would likely be the construction company, who might use grant funding to procure the services from your organisation.
8. Regarding 5G in an industrial factory, does the funding scope include purchase of industrial automation modules/PLCs that can use 5G, and/or mobile robotics (ie. converting established production lines to 5G), as well as the setup of the 5G network itself?
Yes, this sounds like “adaptations to existing infrastructure: Modifications or upgrades to current systems to enable the deployment of the new solution”, which is included in eligible expenditure. Grant funding covers technology, equipment and infrastructure that is required for the delivery of the 5G/advanced wireless use case(s). Please see the information on eligible costs in the guidance document.
9. Can councils apply?
Yes, councils in the Belfast Region City Deal area can apply to the competition.
10. Can charities apply?
Yes, charities in the Belfast Region City Deal area can apply to the competition. The competition is open to private sector, public sector, academia, RTO, non-profit and charitable sectors.