Ericsson to boost 6G R&D in the UK with multimillion GBP investment.
- Ten-year Ericsson investment initiative set to boost UK research capabilities and drive global development of 6G future communications and standards
- Researchers, academics, communications service providers (CSPs) and industry partners all set to benefit from focus on advanced technologies required to achieve the 6G vision of a merged physical and digital world
- DCMS Secretary of State Michelle Donelan welcomes investment in technology and innovation in support of the UK’s vision to be a leader in the global development of 6G
Ericsson is to establish a new research unit in the UK as part of a multi-million-pound investment to boost the country’s future wireless connectivity capabilities.
Tens of millions of pounds (GBP) will be invested by Ericsson over the next 10 years in a UK-based program that will focus on 6G research and breakthrough innovations. Research areas will include network resilience and security, artificial intelligence, cognitive networks and energy efficiency – all considered to be key building blocks of the world’s future digital infrastructure for society, industries and consumers.
The program will employ 20 dedicated researchers and support additional PhD students who will work alongside leading academics, CSPs and industry partners to lead 6G research projects that contribute to the development of global technology, network innovation and new product solutions.
6G is expected to become available in the 2030s, building on societal, consumer and industry use-case mobile connectivity breakthroughs enabled by the high-end capabilities of 5G. It is anticipated that 6G will merge the digital and physical world, contribute to a more intelligent, sustainable and efficient society and help deliver new use cases that include multi-sensory extended reality, precision healthcare, smart agriculture, cobots, and intelligent autonomous systems.
The announcement of research investment in the UK builds on Ericsson’s long history at the heart of the country’s telecommunications industry and supports the Government’s ambition to be a leader in the development of future communications and global standards.
The vision for 6G is built on the desire to create a seamless reality where the digital and physical worlds as we know them today have merged. This merged reality of the future will provide new ways of meeting and interacting with other people, new possibilities to work from anywhere and new ways to experience faraway places and cultures.
By delivering ever-present intelligent communication, 6G will contribute to the creation of a more human-friendly, sustainable and efficient society.
“Ericsson’s investment is a huge vote of confidence in the UK’s innovative telecoms sector. This pioneering research unit will create new jobs, support students and bring together some of our country’s finest minds to shape the future of telecoms infrastructure in the UK and across the globe.
DCMS Secretary of State Michelle Donelan says
“Our mission is to lead the world in developing next-generation network tech, and we will soon publish a strategy outlining how we harness 6G to deliver more for people and business.”
“Ericsson has been connecting the UK for more than 120 years and this new investment underlines our ongoing commitment to ensure the country remains a global leader in the technologies and industries of the future.
Katherine Ainley, CEO, Ericsson UK & Ireland, says
“Our vision for a more connected, safer and sustainable world is one that is shared by the UK government, and we look forward to working together with network operators, industries and academia to develop international standards that will move us ever closer to achieving seamless global connectivity and truly groundbreaking innovation.”
“Ericsson is at the forefront of global research, innovation and developing open standards that will underpin a future of limitless connectivity and new technologies. Establishing a research program in the UK means the country will be well positioned to utilise its existing high international level of knowledge in wireless systems and technologies to produce ground-breaking 6G research that not only can help shape the future of global standards but also deliver a more connected, efficient and sustainable society.”
Magnus Frodigh, VP & Head of Ericsson Research, says
“As a major supplier to UK operators, it is great to see Ericsson announce its new Telecoms 6G Research and Development centre. This investment in the UK telecoms sector will help promote stronger research, innovation and collaboration. UKRI and the UK Government more broadly will continue to support the development of Telecoms talent and new ideas in this exciting growth area.”
Dr Mike Short CBE, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of International Trade says
In 2021, the Ericsson Group invested 18.1 percent of its annual global turnover in Research & Development, confirming its position as one of the main players in Europe. Ericsson has a total of 21 R&D centers across Europe including Finland, Germany, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Sweden, which are engaged in over 100 joint research and knowledge exchange collaborations with leading universities and academies.
In 2021 and 2022 the G7 reiterated the need for technical standards to be underpinned by transparency, openness of process and participation, relevance, and consensus-based decision-making in line with the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and the TBT Committee Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards.