The next-generation cellular network technology – 5G – is approaching. 5G will increase the speed, reduce the latency and improve the flexibility of wireless services, creating possibilities for new applications. And with 5G being able to support up to 1 million devices per square kilometre, a huge increase in wireless network traffic is to be expected.
With an increasing number of researchers working with 5G, there is a growing demand for test facilities outside of a restricted laboratory setting. Researchers need to run their experiments on real world cellular mobile infrastructures, but research in theses technologies is hampered by a number of financial and commercial issues.
A recent initiative named EUWireless is working to remedy this by developing a new service to the European research community: the first pan-European infrastructure to support research in mobile communication networks using regulated spectrum.
Read more about the initiative and how the consortium, including NORDUnet, and the GÉANT network are playing their part in the latest In The Field blog.