Mobile communication networks like the current 4G and 5G systems have become a key enabler for many solutions addressing the social challenges in the Horizon 2020 (health; demographic change and wellbeing; food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research, and the Bio-economy; Secure clean and efficient energy; smart, green and integrated transport; climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials; Europe in a changing world – inclusive, innovative and reflective societies; and Secure societies – protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens) and the mission of future Horizon Europe programs to succeed Horizon 2020. Various organizations, including H2020 5G Public Private Partnership (5G PPP) have identified the key role of mobile communications, especially 5G, for various verticals. The most relevant verticals identified are: eHealth, Factories of the future (Industry 4.0) Energy, Automotive, Media and Entertainment, Smart Cities, Emergency Response, and Telecoms, in general.
Research in the core technologies for mobile networks and/or research on any other vertical sector where mobile networks are enablers require access to state-of-the-art research infrastructures (RI). However, the needs of the research community in the area of mobile communication networks are not sufficiently covered by current medium-scale testbeds, usually deployed in research centres as indoor deployments, isolated from the commercial Mobile Network Operators (MNO) resources. Researchers in academia, researchers in companies, and fundamentally SMEs, finds difficult to access the needed infrastructures to support the development of product and services. Easy and effective access to RIs is essential to facilitate research activities that ensure advancement of knowledge and technology.
The project EUWIRELESS started 1st January 2018 with a duration of 27 months in a H2020 call for Research Infrastructures (RI). The main objective is designing a pan-European RI to connect the MNOs and the researchers in order to offer quick creation of specific testbeds adapted to the researcher’s requirements. Such RI could be managed by a European-level Operator, and could have some integration with other existing infrastructures in the communication networks domain, like GÉANT.
