Networking research beyond 5G

Research and Innovation Actions

Proposals may cover one or more of the themes identified below.

• Scientific and technology advances for novel use of the spectrum potential, de-risking technological building blocks at frequencies above 90 Ghz up to Thz communications backed by innovative usage scenarios, address visible light communications and develop radically new approaches for spectrum efficiency.
• Advanced signal processing, antenna processing, information theory and coding to optimize and reach Tbit/s in wireless communications.
• Demand-attentive and cooperation networking alternative to 5G architectures, including HetNets, opportunistic networks novel architectures and protocols for routing, latency and caching in complex networks notably for mobility.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between EUR 2 and 3 million would allow this area to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

While 5G networks has an established roadmap towards technology validation, specifications and tests by industry, outstanding new scientific opportunities are blooming in the field of networking research, with the objective of bringing little explored technologies and system concepts closer to exploitation. The challenge is to support European scientific excellence notably in the DSP domain, and to bring the most promising long term research coming from the labs closer to fruition. This includes perspectives for the full exploitation of the spectrum potential, notably above 90Ghz, with new waves of technologies and knowledge, bringing wireless systems to the speed of optical technologies, and for new applications. It includes interaction with photonic systems as well as new cooperation networking and protocols, notably in the mobility context.

Development and exploitation of academic research through transfer and innovation towards industry with a particular focus on SMEs is an integral part of the challenge.

• Validation of disruptive communication concepts, technologies and architectures;
• Proof of applicability of challenging spectrum regions towards innovative and cost efficient applications;
• Advances in signal processing and information theory and scientific publication in world class journals;
• Industry competitiveness with exploitation of academic research through transfer and innovation towards industry, in particular SMEs or start ups.