UK Government announced plans to ‘unleash’ 5G and 6G innovation through a partnership with South Korea. The “Future Open Networks Research Challenge” has a budget of up to £25 million. The Future Open Networks Research Challenge is a part of the £250 million ‘Open Networks R&D Fund’ of the UK Government.

The Open Networks R&D Fund aims to improve the strengths of the country’s telecoms networks, lower deployment costs, and allow the new innovative players to take on the established ones.

Hamish MacLeod, Chief Executive at Mobile UK said, “The measures announced today offer further opportunities to build on the UK’s thriving R&D into advanced telecoms and enable operators to access more diversity in the supply chain while enhancing security and innovation.”

UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN) is a new £10 million framework that aims to act as a hub for industry and academics looking to access funding or R&D testing facilities and opportunities to collaborate on the creation of new mobile and broadband technologies.

Jeremy Silver, CEO of Digital Catapult said, “With the UK Telecoms Innovation Network, we have an exciting opportunity to transform UK telecoms into a growing, resilient, secure, and globally significant sector.  The UK has many strengths but our ecosystem across research, development, and innovation is fragmented.”