A £62m investment programme has been announced by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, which aims to accelerate the development of key technology for telecommunications networks.
In total, sixteen revolutionary projects, sharing in £22 million, will help pioneer the next wave of the internet, ensuring the UK can capitalise on the economic and social benefits of 5G.
Another £40 million will enhance support for the three existing Future Telecoms Research Hubs. The Hubs, each led by a UK institution — Imperial College London, and the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford –, will play a vital role in supporting 6G research. The funds will also go into establishing a more complete, national infrastructure for trialling and experimenting with new telecoms technologies. The Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR) advocated a future telecoms testbed, and will now fund it in the 5th Round of our 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme. This will link with the UK National Dark Fibre Facility.
Exploring novel architectures and networks required for end-to-end connectivity. Focused on integrating state-of-the-art technologies such as AI and computing with telecoms structures. Spearheading the development of wireless access systems including cell-free networks and optical wireless integration.
Julia Lopez, Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure, highlighted the importance of the funding, stating: “This funding boost will help drive the UK’s efforts to bring forward the next wave of future telecoms technology. It’s part of our wider plan to foster innovation, build back better from the pandemic and maintain our status as a telecoms world leader.”
