With a major donation to local universities, as well as a separate investment in growing it’s fiber optic infrastructure, United Kingdom leaders are working to lay the groundwork for 5G technologies.
The University of Bristol, the University of Surrey and King’s College London will share nearly $21 million in funding intended to support a 5G test network with the goal of rapid commercialization of the next-generation mobile tech, which is still being standardized by international group 3GPP.
“We want to be at the head of the field in 5G,” U.K. Minister for Digital Matt Hancock said. “this funding will support the pioneering research needed to ensure we can harness the potential of this technology to spark innovation, create new jobs and boost the economy.” The ultimate goal is an end-to-end 5G trial network deployed in early 2018.
Although it’s not standardized, it’s clear that 5G will require upgrades to existing network infrastructure, both in terms of hardware and density, as well as more easily accessible fiber optic cabling to support both fronthaul–think a small cell cluster based on a C-RAN architecture, and backhaul to transfer data into the core network.
In support of the fiber piece of the 5G equation, the U.K.’s Digital Infrastructure Investment has earmarked $515 million to develop what Hancock called a “full fiber” network; the public investment will be matched by private investment, according to media reports.
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Andrew Jones MP, according to The Register, said “Gone will be the days where parents working from home see their emails grind to a halt while a family member is gaming or streaming Game of Thrones in the next room. Full fiber will provide us with the better broadband we need to ensure we can work flexibly and productively, without connections failing.”
