The 5G Network Revolution

30 May 2014

IMDEA Networks’ Sixth Annual International Workshop, this year exploring the 5G Network Revolution, brings together members of the Institute’s Scientific Council, representatives of industry and prominent researchers to address the huge explosion in mobile data of our hyperconnected society.

We are witnessing an exponential increase of wireless traffic demand due to the worldwide proliferation of mobile Internet applications. It is forecasted that, by 2020, the network infrastructure will be capable of embracing trillions of devices according to a plethora of application-specific requirements in a flexible and truly mobile way. One key to addressing this technological challenge is effective communication between the different parties involved in the networking field. As part of its leading role in the concerted European effort on 5G research, IMDEA Networks aims to facilitate this networking process with its Sixth Annual International Workshop on the 5G Network Revolution, to be held on June 11 at University Carlos III of Madrid (Spain).

The forthcoming 5G revolution promises substantial advancements such as 1000x higher wireless area capacity for 8+ billion people and 7 trillion objects, 90% energy savings per service provided, and the creation of a secure and reliable Internet. 5G will allow for real agile network setup, and will support dynamic management and coordination of very dense and heterogeneous deployments. Potential roadmaps see mobile multimedia as the next killer app, quality of experience as a primary metric for the network planning and design, and machine-to-machine communication as the root of paradigm shift in wireless innovation.

The fifth-generation cellular networks event will bring together international experts, allowing participants to exchange technical ideas and experiences, improve their understanding of the challenges involved and home in on the most promising future approaches.

Among recent examples of IMDEA Networks’ scientific endeavor on this groundbreaking technology is the creation of a Joint Research Unit (JRU) in 5G technologies with Telefónica. Also, one of its Research Professors, Joerg Widmer, awarded a prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant, has just launched the SEARCHLIGHT project to investigate mmWave communication, one of the key 5G technologies. The Institute’s Director, Arturo Azcorra, has been voted onto the Steering Board of the European Technology Platform responsible for the coordination of the 7 billion euro 5G PPP* initiative, aiming to deliver an ambitious research agenda and produce and influence international standards for next generation cellular networks with the year 2020 in sight. Furthermore, IMDEA Networks coordinates one of the current flagship European projects in the area of 5G, iJOIN, and another of its running projects, CROWD, has been selected to join the group of “early 5G precursor projects”. As such, it will contribute to the early showcasing of potential end-to-end technologies to enable the advanced 5G network infrastructure that is to underpin the Future Internet.

 

*Public-Private Partnership