Royal Welsh Show Underpinned by BT’s 5G+ Network Slicing

This year’s Royal Welsh Show is benefiting from BT’s 5G+ network slicing capabilities. These are being used to support mission-critical services and local businesses, while also enabling real-time content sharing.

The deployment at the showground in Builth Wells, Wales, is one of the first large-scale public demonstrations of this technology, prior to BT launching commercial slicing services later this summer.

5G+ refers to the 5G standalone access-based mobile connectivity offered by BT’s mobile arm, EE. Network slicing provides a defined set of users and/or applications with a dedicated, protected slice of the mobile network for specific use-cases, ensuring that they still have the connectivity they need in locations where the public network is congested.

Supporting local businesses

The technology is securing vendors’ operations at the four-day event, which typically attracts up to 250,000 visitors and puts immense strain on local mobile infrastructure.

By using a dedicated network slice, local food and drink companies such as Radnor Hills and Fire & Flank can process electronic point-of-sale (ePOS) transactions without the risk of payment delays.

“This is our first time exhibiting at the Royal Welsh Show, so we’re excited to introduce Fire & Flank to such a large audience,” says David Evans, Founder and Director  Fire and Flank.

“When demand is high, the last thing any business wants is connectivity issues slowing down card payments or creating long queues.

“Reliable connectivity for our ePOS systems helps us serve customers quickly, deliver a great experience and focus on what matters most – sharing our food with visitors.

“It’s reassuring to know that the technology powering our payments is designed to perform, even in one of the busiest event environments in Wales.”

Enabling digital engagement

In addition to supporting food and drink merchants, the network slice is facilitating real-time digital engagement for the organisers.

This allows 2026 Show Ambassador Teleri-Haf Thomas and the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society team to reliably livestream and upload promotional content.

These activities can continue uninterrupted despite the high concentration of mobile users on-site.

“The Royal Welsh Show is about bringing together hundreds of thousands of people from across Wales and beyond, and connectivity has become an increasingly important part of that experience,” says Aled Jones, Chief Executive of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.

“From supporting exhibitors and traders to helping our team deliver the event safely and efficiently, reliable mobile connectivity plays a vital role.

“Working with BT to showcase 5G+ network slicing demonstrates how next-generation mobile technology can support critical operations while helping us share the best of Welsh agriculture, food and rural life with audiences both on the Showground and online.”

National connectivity investments

The mobile network upgrade at the showground and its neighbouring mast in Builth Wells is part of a larger digital infrastructure programme.

The Welsh Government has collaborated on the project to ensure that visitors and local businesses benefit from reliable digital services.

“It is important that visitors and businesses alike experience high-quality digital connectivity at nationally significant events like the Royal Welsh Show,” says Adam Price, Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy for the Welsh Government.

“BT and the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society have committed to ensuring the event benefits from world-class technology and I am pleased Welsh Government collaboration has helped to make this possible.”

The upgrades to the Builth Wells infrastructure are supported by the more than £500m (US$673m) BT has invested in both mobile and fixed networks across Wales since 2020.

“Whether it’s buying food and drink from local traders, sharing moments from the Show on social media, or following the action online, people increasingly expect seamless connectivity wherever they are,” says Greg McCall, Chief Security and Networks Officer at BT.

“At this year’s Royal Welsh Show, we’re demonstrating how 5G+ network slicing can help deliver exactly that.

“By providing dedicated, high-performance connectivity for specific applications, we’re helping businesses keep payments flowing, enabling reliable livestreaming and content uploads, and showing how next-generation mobile technology can support better experiences for organisations and consumers alike.”