NEW 5G private network at Technical University in Liberec – unique Open Core & Ran solution for various industrial applications
Authors: Jana Simanova, Jindrich Cyrus, Tomas Martinec (Technical University in Liberec)
Liberec, 8th September 2023
In the field of 5G Campus Networks (CN), the Technical University of Liberec (TUL) is the first testbed in the country for the implementation of the latest Open Core & Ran solutions. The 5G CN was built in cooperation with telecom operator T-Mobile CZ, and the new Open Core & Ran technological solution was implemented by Mavenir. The technology has been used only by operators and large networks since its introduction, but is now making its way into private networks. The main advantages of Open Core & Ran are its cost-effectiveness, its ability to use existing network elements, its rapid and flexible deployment, and the fact that it is much easier to develop applications because the system is ready for future changes in configuration or parameters. The classic radio has been split into a control component, implemented by pure software on common servers, and an antenna. As a software-based, open solution, it allows other vendors to join the ecosystem and also allows application users to influence the behaviour of the network. This is important because the network can be customised, i.e. different parameters can be set, such as bandwidth, terminal behaviour and many others, leading to significant energy savings. The open solution allows the network to be scaled, which means, for example, that industry can use this technology even if they have machines that are not ready for 5G SA.
The Technical University in Liberec offers 3 use cases – Autonomous Guided Vehicle (AGV) – result of the AnteTUL research project (see video below), Augmented Reality and 3D digital printing. The 5G campus network at TUL will serve as a testbed for various use cases of partners from the innovation ecosystem and, of course, it will also be used for educational purposes. The inauguration of the 5G campus network was attended by 20 representatives of innovative companies from the region, and we are looking forward to their use cases and are ready to prove their concepts.
Source: Innovation Workshop supported by Skills2Scale project: 5G Campus Networks – technology and implementation, 8th September 2023, Technical University in Liberec, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0vTH3SlESY
Source: with permission of Mavenir, 8th September 2023 (Ing. Michal Sedivy, Sales Director at Mavenir)
Fig. 1 Software Platform Leading the 5G Disruption (implemented at TUL)
Source: Technical University in Liberec, 2023, available at https://tuni.tul.cz/rubriky/univerzita/id:148539/samoriditelne-vozidlo-vyvinute-na-tul-patri-mezi-nejlepsi-projekty-evropy
Fig. 2 Autonomous Guided Vehicle (AGV), Technical University in Liberec – use case for 5G
