The 5G testbed creates a secure, network infrastructure to trial the use of 5G. Specifically, providing connectivity across terrestrial and satellite communication in support of mission critical applications including use cases for IoT, autonomous systems and e-health initiatives.
Commenting on the news, Tom Ruban, chief technology officer of EMEA at Juniper Networks, said: “The deployment and use of 5G testbeds is crucial to enabling the early engagement of infrastructure end-users to provide a way for them to shape the way services will be delivered by 5G infrastructure. Having the opportunity to provide many of the key components that enable that delivery in a seamless and secure way is a fantastic way to showcase how Juniper is providing a simplified answer to an incredibly complex problem.”
The testbed will officially open in April 2018 and will bring together academics and key industry players towards a shared vision to help define and develop the next-generation of terrestrial and satellite 5G infrastructure and applications.
Juniper will leverage a number of its existing technologies to create the infrastructure for the testbed, including: routing, switching, security and software-defined networking, as well as network functions virtualisation (NFV), mobile edge computing and software orchestration in the core.
“Communication infrastructure services underpin the development of many next generation innovations and satellite connectivity is a critical element. The two cannot develop independently from one another. 5G underpins the overall agenda for better connecting digital infrastructure to data sharing devices across the country and hence is a key part of UK Government digital strategy. Juniper Networks’ role in helping the Satellite Applications Catapult’s involvement in 5G has been instrumental in helping us deliver on these next generation communication infrastructure advances and data services innovation,” added Kieran Arnold, director 5G at the Satellite Applications Catapult.
Once completed the project could be used for could be used for collaborative development projects like those recently proposed by the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). In December, the UK government set out its plan for 5G and fibre deployment. It has asked for contributions from the industry and from interested parties, which will inform the upcoming DCMS Telecoms Infrastructure Review, which is due to be published in the middle of 2018.
