The UK government has invested £110 million to develop 5G and 6G wireless technology and telecom security. It’s partnering with major universities, telecommunication companies and countries to realize this goal.
This is to strengthen the UK’s status of being a leader in telecoms research, make it easier for more firms to enter the market and keep up with the fast-growing sector that is Tech. We’ve provided more details on this project below.
The R&D Project
The UK has partnered with the Republic of Korea on an R&D project. The primary goal of this project is to enhance the movement of open radio access network (Open RAN) equipment. The UK government invested £1.2 million towards the over £3 million funds needed for this project.
Most funds will focus on ensuring that emerging technical equipment is powered up to work efficiently. The inefficiency of emerging specialized equipment is one reason more Open RAN technologies need to be rolled out.
Why is this an important project to invest in? Open RAN allows operators to look for different equipment from a number of suppliers and put them together in one network. This is to help build faster 5G networks as it will be easier for new telecom companies to enter the market. It will also increase the telecom industry’s diversity, security and competition.
It will also enable faster networks. This is especially important to consumers who value entertainment options on their smartphones. 5G has offered a significant improvement on 4G, and 6G will be no different. For instance, when playing in a slots tournament, the lower latency offered by 5G (and, subsequently, 6G) will enable leaderboards to more smoothly update and for information to be passed between the gamer and the online casino operator – and vice versa – much faster than before, improving the overall experience.
5G And 6G Wireless Technology Development
The University of Surrey, the University of York and the University of Bristol are the top three universities selected to work on developing the next-generation 6G wireless connection technology. An amount of £28 million has been allocated towards this development.
These top universities are expected to work with excellent telecom companies like Nokia, Ericsson and Samsung. This will continue beyond the 6G network to future networks. Through these universities, leading UK academics and top Tech industry players will help ensure that future networks are built innovatively and diversely.
All this work will be done in the UK Telecoms Lab situated in Solihull of the West Midlands. £80 will be contributed towards setting up this state-of-the-art lab. To ensure that the network operators, academics and suppliers work in a secure environment, the UK government has signed a contract with the National Physical Laboratory.
This project will create more telecom-related jobs. More UK citizens will be employed. So, not only will it help advance technology, but there’s potential to develop the economy further and the lives of ordinary citizens.
What Will Be The Benefits Of This Investment?
Below are some of the benefits that’ll come with this project:
- It’ll create jobs
- Sustain the development of innovative and diverse future networks
- More companies will be available to develop and maintain 5G, 6G and other future networks.
- 5G, 6G and future networks are expected to change people’s lives for the better and enhance the performance of businesses
- It’ll support the advancement of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, driverless cars and quality healthcare
- Open the telecoms industry to new vendors
- Build more international relations with countries aiming for the same developments
Fast Internet Awaits!
The UK’s investment in 6G R&D is part of its tactics to expand the telecoms industry. This way, the country won’t rely on a few network providers. Also, the industry will be more diverse, innovative and secure.
Through this project, there’ll be more jobs, a faster wireless network, and advanced technological devices. It’ll open up more opportunities for everyone, including businesses. Their performance will boost and satisfy customer needs faster.