Open RAN

Executive summary

The Aura project has met the vast majority of its goals:

A low-power Active Antenna Unit (AAU) and a high-power AAU were designed in the UK, and prototype runs of each have been successfully tested and are currently under evaluation with several Customers, one of which is BT.

This is the official closure document for the Beach Energy efficient Access Clusters for High demand (BEACH) project which forms part of the Open Network Ecosystem (ONE) Department for Science, Innovation and Technology competition. It was launched by the UK Government during 2023.

The Factory of the Future Open Radio Access Network (FOFORAN) project set out to explore how Open Radio Access Network (ORAN) and private 5G networks can support the digital transformation of the UK manufacturing sector. Led by AMRC Northwest and supported by a consortium of industry and technology partners.

Project Goals:

The HiPer-RAN project (“Highly Intelligent, Highly Performing RAN”) set out to develop an open, flexible platform capable of hosting diverse software-based intelligence across the entire Radio Access Network (RAN) architecture, from higher-layer orchestration down to the physical layer.

The Cambridgeshire OpenRAN Ecosystem (CORE) Project deployed and tested a high-performance 5G Standalone OpenRAN network optimised for High Demand Density (HDD) environments. These are urban settings with large numbers of simultaneous users where traditional networks often underperform.

Project aims:

Executive Summary

Executive summary

The Dorset Open Networks Ecosystem (DONE) project undertook R&D across two strands of Open Radio Access Network (ORAN) enablement - RAN intelligent controller (RIC) applications plus processors and RAN/Radio Frequency (RF) hardware.

The ambitious Liverpool City Region HDD Project aimed to assess how OpenRAN deployments can be secure by design with complex supply chains and changing configurations; demonstrate automated provisioning, monitoring and deployment lifecycle management; extend the RIC framework for multi-RAT aggregation, incorporating Wi-Fi and deliver an innovati

The ONE WORD project has been a collaborative effort involving 14 organizations aimed at enhancing mobile coverage in Bath, Shrewsbury, Cardiff, and events across Worcester.

Cambridge Tech Week 2025 is set to return from 15 – 19 September, with a focus on global collaboration and a bold ambition: to showcase Cambridge as the deep tech capital of Europe and a driving force behind some of the world’s most transformative technologies. 

Join the Open Future Networks Showcase discover more about innovation and telecoms diversification. The event will bring together insights from international stakeholders on the readiness of the Open RAN market and how the technology is progressing.  

Apply now to join our UK Tech Showcase @ London Tech Week 2025!

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is looking for the UK’s best and brightest tech companies to be a part of our UK Technology Showcase at London Tech Week 2025 (9th-13th June).

London Tech Week 2025 (9th – 12th June) is the UK’s largest and most influential tech event. As a global celebration of tech, it unites the most innovative thinkers and talent of tomorrow in a week-long festival with over 45,000 attendees at last year’s main event at Kensington Olympia.

The telecoms industry forms a vital part of the UK’s society and economy. It connects the country and provides the basic infrastructure on which we build all elements of our digital lives, both social and economic.

Overview

Join TelecomTV for the final panel discussion of our in-depth case study examining TELUS’s groundbreaking Open RAN deployment journey. Experts from TELUS, Wind River and Intel discuss the challenges, breakthroughs and lessons learned during this transformative deployment.

Wi-Fi 7 is here, and it promises to significantly boost the speed and stability of your wireless connections, with reliable low-latency performance and the ability to manage more connections. So if you design, apply or use Wi-Fi join the Radio Technology SIG for a distinguished lecture on the impact of Wi-Fi 7.

At Connected Places Catapult we connect people, places and businesses for a future of sustainable growth and prosperity.

Open RAN continues to be one of the most pivotal and debated topics in the telecoms industry, with its influence felt across the globe. But will it deliver on its promises? And can innovations like the RAN intelligent controller (RIC) drive meaningful transformation?

Read the latest UKTIN news, Industry news, Success stories and Governement updates in this winter edition.

UK INNOVATION IS AT AN EXCITING JUNCTURE
Ian Smith, Head of UKTIN

Connectivity has, and always will, underpin societal and economic growth. Fortunately, the UK telecoms sector is 
rife with innovation and potential.

ECORAN Project Review

Over the course of May and June 2024, Innovate UK, in collaboration with UKRI India and the Indian Department of Telecommunications (DoT), delivered a Global Expert Mission, bringing together key government and R&D experts from the UK and India.