From Open RAN to Open Networks for 5G and 6G Applications
Monday, 3 June 2024, 14:00-17:30, Room Gorilla Room 5
Organisers:
- Alister Burr (Univ.of York , UK)
Motivation and Background
Open Radio Access Networks (O-RAN), and in general open networks promise to significantly enhance hardware and software interoperability and help diversify the supply chain. This is particularly important for future 6G networks, which will support a much wider range of use cases and operating scenarios. This workshop will showcase the research and innovations underway in three large projects, which are funded as part of the £50M (€60M) FONRC (Future Open Networks Research Challenge), part of the UK Government’s £250M (€300M) Open Networks Research and Development fund. These university-led projects, incorporating both small and large industry, are researching and testing O-RAN and further open network based concepts. They include both terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, compatible hardware and software, security aspects, standardisation activities, and novel extensions of open networks from O-RAN for 6G.
These projects complement activities underway within Horizon Europe, such as BeGREEN, MARSAL, and the Open SNS WG, which will also contribute to the workshop.
The aim of the workshop will be to provide a forum for the UK and Horizon Europe based projects to exchange key ideas and ensure that best practice can be utilised. It will act as a basis for future collaboration and wider exploitation.
Structure
Keynote: Open networks – a view from the 6G-IA Open Smart Network and Services working group, Aitor Garcia, (Vodafone/6G-IA SNS WG)
Open Networks – a UK view Dimitra Simeonidou, Ning Wang, Alister Burr (University of Bristol/REASON, Surrey University/TUDOR, University of York/YO-RAN)
Cell Free massive MIMO benefits, constraints and practicalities for open 6G Alister Burr (University of York/YO-RAN)
Break
mATRIC: Multi-Access Technology Real-Time Intelligent Controller Alex Mavromatis (University of Bristol/REASON)
Implementing flexible intelligence in the RAN Intelligent Controller Hamed Ahmadi (University of York/YO-RAN)
Dynamic backhaul traffic offloading using RIC data analytics Vaia Kalokidou (SAC/TUDOR)
Non-Real-Time CPU Frequency Control to Enhance UPF Energy Efficiency Miguel Catalan Cid (BeGREEN)
O-RAN on a decentralised multi-party, multinetwork AI (DMMAI) framework Spyros Denazis/Christos Tranoris (6G-XCEL)