The UK Government has announced measures to accelerate innovation in 5G and 6G technologies, including a collaboration with South Korea.
Up to £25 million has been allocated to the Future Open Networks Research Challenge. This competition invites academics and industry participants to apply for funding to support early-stage research into open, interoperable telecommunications solutions, including Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) technologies.
The Future Open Networks Research Challenge is part of the UK Government’s broader £250 million Open Networks R&D Fund.
By fostering interoperable solutions, the Open Networks R&D Fund aims to strengthen the resilience of the nation’s telecoms infrastructure, reduce deployment costs, and create opportunities for innovative entrants to compete with established suppliers.
Hamish MacLeod, Chief Executive of Mobile UK, welcomed the announcement: “A strong, diverse mobile ecosystem in the UK will be a cornerstone of the country’s future prosperity and well-being. The measures announced today create further opportunities to build on the UK’s thriving R&D in advanced telecoms and enable operators to source from a broader supplier base while enhancing security and innovation.”
A new £10 million initiative, the UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN), will serve as a central hub for industry and academia, offering access to funding, R&D testing facilities, and collaborative opportunities to develop new mobile and broadband technologies.
Digital Catapult, Cambridge Wireless (CW), the University of Bristol, and West Midlands 5G have been selected to establish and manage UKTIN.
Jeremy Silver, CEO of Digital Catapult, said: “With the UK Telecoms Innovation Network, we have an exciting opportunity to grow UK telecoms into a resilient, secure, and globally significant sector. While the UK has many strengths, our research, development and innovation ecosystem is currently fragmented. I am proud to be joined by a strong consortium of partners whose expertise will be vital in uniting and expanding our ecosystem and driving future UK capabilities.”
Increasing vendor diversity
The risks of relying heavily on a single supplier were made clear when the UK Government banned Chinese vendor Huawei on national security grounds. Operators that had already started 5G deployments with Huawei equipment faced significant costs and delays to remove banned hardware and replace it with alternatives from a limited number of suppliers.
Political leaders and security officials have continued to voice concerns about the national security implications of foreign technology in critical infrastructure. Those debates underscore the likelihood of sustained restrictions on the use of certain foreign technologies and a drive toward cross-industry initiatives that reduce dependence on single-source suppliers from countries such as China and Russia.
Despite tensions with China, the UK maintains strong ties with other Asian partners, including Japan, India, and Israel. Relations with South Korea are deepening: the UK and the Republic of Korea have jointly launched a £3.6 million competition to fund collaborative R&D aimed at accelerating Open RAN development.
Each country will support consortia of companies working together to develop technical solutions that enhance power efficiency and overall performance in Open RAN networks.
UK Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman commented: “The seamless connectivity and high speeds of 5G and future 6G will power a technology revolution that enriches people’s lives and boosts productivity across the economy. That’s why we’re investing millions and partnering with international allies to drive innovation and develop ways to make these networks more secure, resilient, and less dependent on a handful of suppliers.”
(Photo by chris robert on Unsplash)
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