Ascom Network Testing joins 5G Innovation Centre

RESTON: Ascom Network Testing (www.ascom.com/nt) announced today that it has joined the 5G Innovation Centre (5GIC) at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. As a member, Ascom will work with other companies on research of 5G-related topics, and its equipment will be used to help this future technology to evolve.

Ascom joins the 5GIC consortium which already includes Aeroflex, AIRCOM International, BBC, BT, EE, Fujitsu Laboratories of Europe, Huawei, Ofcom, Rohde & Schwarz, Samsung, Telefonica and Vodafone. Together with the University of Surrey, they will conduct research into the development of advanced technologies for a 5G network of the future, to establish a world-leading position in mobile broadband communications and Internet innovations. The project will include the development of a 5G "test bed," based on the University campus, to test technologies in a real-world environment.

"We are excited to be part of this program," says Erik Tarnvik, Ascom Network Testing's CTO. "Ascom has been a member of 3GPP and ITU for many years, and as such we've had the opportunity to be part of development efforts as the industry progresses. We are eager to participate and learn first-hand the challenges of this increasingly complex technology through 5GIC, so that we can develop solutions to help the industry to address them."

Professor Rahim Tafazolli, a leading expert in the field and Head of the University of Surrey's Centre for Communication Systems Research (CCSR), said, "By bringing together leading academics with heavy-weight industry partners we can develop the technologies that are required to provide much-needed capacity, drive economic growth and actively contribute to and shape the future 5G technology. We are very pleased to have Ascom join our group so that we can use its leading technology as an integrated part of our plans."