Brexit: EU staff 'exodus' is 'non-existent' says expert
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As part of Boris Johnson’s levelling up agenda, Sunderland has agreed a deal to make it one of the most advanced smart cities in the country. Under the deal, BAI Communications will lay vital 5G infrastructure across the city by 2022. This is the first step in a 20-year strategic partnership which is expected to spark a wave of investment, business development, and socio-economic improvements in the city.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Billy D’Arcy, CEO of BAI Communications insisted the new partnership will not only be an economic boom for Sunderland but has shown Brexit has not defeated the industrial ability or ambition of the UK.
He said: “You know, the UK may have left the EU but it hasn’t left the planet.
“Whether you bring that to bear in the UK 65 million people, the wheels keep turning.
“People have to eat, sleep, drink and travel.”
He added: “But the point I want to make here is that, you know, from a Brexit perspective, the UK isn’t going anywhere.
“It’s not leaving the planet.”
The first phase of the partnership will see the introduction of a base layer of interconnectivity within the city.
By creating a base layer of connectivity within the city, there is hope Sunderland can leapfrog cities around the world in terms of tech development and attract further business interests.
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Indeed, it is hoped Sunderland could soon become a smart city comparable to others around the world BAI has worked with such as London, Sydney, Toronto and New York.
Mr D’Arcy said: “We wanted to make sure Sunderland isn’t just catching but leapfrogging other cities.
“Our main objective is for Sunderland to stay ahead and stay the most connected city in the UK.
“That’s our ambition, that’s our goal.
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“That will serve us well.
“It will serve Sunderland well, it will serve people who work and live there.
“And actually, we gonna see the next five years in terms of many of the outcomes that we’re going to be looking to address.
“But actually, who knows what technologies will come to bear in, let’s say 2030 onwards, but we’re there for the long haul.”
BAI is a world leader in providing 4 and 5G connected infrastructure.
It has also been awarded a contract to deliver high-speed mobile connectivity across London.
Amid this portfolio, Patrick Melia chief executive of Sunderland City Council said: “This is an incredibly significant milestone in the development and future of Sunderland Our Smart City.
“We are very much looking forward to our 20-year strategic partnership with BAI, as its team helps us realise our ambitions and make our goals a reality.
“We are confident the benefits of this partnership will reach every resident, organisation and business within our city and indeed the wider area.”
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