UK government, industry partners pour funds into 5G network research

Fourth-generation cellular networks are all the rage right now, but what about tomorrow’s networks? The UK government has teamed up with a host of industry partners to launch the 5G Innovation Centre to figure out that very question. The Centre will be established at the University of Surrey in the near future, and it is funded by a joint effort from the Uk government and a host of companies from the wireless industry. The government has committed £11.6 million (about $18.6 million) to the project, while another £24 million ($38.5 million) will be provided from companies like Huawei, Samsung, Telefonica, Fujitsu, Rohde-Schwarz, and AIRCOM International. The goal of all of this research and funding is to make the UK a center of 5G network development, even if it may be a good ten years before any of it is deployed. While there isn’t yet a clear definition of what “5G” networks entail, you can all but guarantee that they will be better than today’s 4G networks that are just starting to go live in the UK this month.