UK Universities’ 6G wireless research capacity is in excellent shape, says new UK SPF report

- Industry sounding board UK Spectrum Policy Forum (SPF) submits new report to DCMS Minister Julia Lopez MP on a set of recommendations to drive the development of 6G
- Digital Minister Julia Lopez MP welcomes new UK SPF 6G report

Today the UK Spectrum Policy Forum (SPF) has submitted a new 6G research report ‘SPF 6G wireless R&D initiative: A report for DCMS’.

The report was commissioned by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) and provides Julia Lopez MP, Minister of State at DCMS, with:

  • An audit of the range of 6G research projects currently underway in UK universities
  • A report and set of recommendations on how the Government should support and influence the development of 6G, through driving collaboration on 6G research
  •  Insight on how different spectrum bands will shape future 6G wireless opportunities
  • A wide range of informed views from an open public consultation, with responses from industry and academia.

The University of BristolUniversity of Surrey, and the University of Strathclyde worked with UK SPF to host three events, bringing together 25 UK universities to identify 6G research projects and assess their scope to contribute to the development of 6G technology and networks. These events attracted over 800 attendees from academia, industry, and government bodies from the UK and abroad.

The workshops and recommendations were guided by an expert panel, including representatives from academia and industry.

The recommendations focus on how the government can mobilise the UK’s established research resources to position the UK to play a significant role in the global development of 6G. The report calls for government to incorporate the recommendations in a 6G national strategy.

Welcoming the report, Julia Lopez MP, Minister of State for Media, Data, and Digital Infrastructure, says:

We're spending £700 million to improve 4G coverage and develop new ways for 5G to benefit society. But 6G is already on the horizon, and through our new Wireless Infrastructure Strategy we want to put the UK at the forefront of this advanced technology. I thank the Forum for its report. It highlights the fantastic work being done by our world-leading research institutions and provides some helpful recommendations which we will carefully consider.

Julia Lopez MP

Minister of State for Media, Data, and Digital Infrastructure

Abhaya Sumanasena, Steering Board Chair, UK SPF and expert panel member comments:

As the industry voice of spectrum users in the UK, the SPF is extremely proud to have successfully facilitated this University led 6G initiative. This initiative is an important step in identifying how the wireless research community can contribute to help address long-term spectrum policy issues and sets a foundation for a collaboration framework that brings the University research base closer to industry, government and spectrum policymakers. We look forward to taking this further to help policymakers solve strategic spectrum policy issues in the years to come.

Abhaya Sumanasena

UK SPF Steering Board Chair, UK SPF and expert panel member


ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Participants to the Expert Panel include:

Name

Designation

Organisation

Mark Beach

Professor and Prosperity Partnership Lead

University of Bristol

Rahim Tafazolli

Professor and Director 5G/6GIC

University of Surrey

Bob Stewart (Chair)

Professor and Lead of Strath 5G Cluster

University of Strathclyde

James Dracott

Head of ICT

EPSRC

JF Fava-Verde

Innovation Lead (Digital)

InnovateUK - UKRI

Dave Townend

Wireless Research Manager

British Telecom

David Lister

Senior R&D Manager

Vodafone

Raj Sivalingam

Head of Spectrum

DCMS

Adam Beaumont

Chair aql group; Chair Northinvest

UK Entrepreneur

Abhaya Sumanasena

Chair of the SPF Steering Board

Head of Spectrum and Regulation

UK SPF and Real Wireless

Luigi Ardito

Vice-Chair SPF Steering Board and Senior Director, Government Affairs Europe  

UK SPF and Qualcomm Europe

John Haine

Consultant

IoT Security Foundation

Ex Officio:

 

 

Jo O'Riordan

Head of Spectrum Policy and Telecoms

UK SPF and techUK

Stephen Temple

Chair, Cluster 2: Long Term Spectrum Policy

UK SPF


Please log in to access the report and the letter to the Minister, it is free to do so.

 


Media contacts: Margherita Certo, E: [email protected], M: 07462107214

About the UK SPF

Set up at the request of the government and Ofcom the Spectrum Policy Forum (SPF) act as a pro-active industry-led ‘sounding board’ to UK Government and Ofcom on future policy and approaches on the spectrum and a cross-industry ‘agent’ for promoting the role of spectrum in society and the maximisation of its economic and social value to the UK. We do this by exchanging news and views on developments in using spectrum, drawing on our industry expertise from around the world


Please contact the below Secretariat Team for more information:

Sophie Greaves

Sophie Greaves

Head of Telecoms and Spectrum Policy, techUK

Tales Gaspar

Tales Gaspar

Programme Manager, UK SPF and Satellite, techUK

Matthew Wild

Programme Assistant - Markets, techUK