Future Open Networks Research Challenge
This challenge will allow industry and academia to develop future-facing open and interoperable solutions to diversify the UK’s telecom supply chain.
Overview
The Future Open Networks Research Challenge (FONRC) is a £25 million challenge which will enable universities to work with large RAN vendors, and other telecoms organisations, to conduct research and development to drive the openness and interoperability of future network architectures.
These technologies will need to be commercially attractive to large vendors, MNOs and Venture Capitalists, and promote diversification in future network architectures.
The challenge will run until the end of March 2025.
This is part of the government’s Open Networks R&D Fund which will deliver on the £250 million 5G Telecoms Supply Chain Diversification Strategy through a range of telecoms R&D projects.
A briefing event will be held on 2 August 2022. Please register for more details, by midday 29 July 2022.
Introduction
5G Supply Chain Diversification Strategy
The 5G Supply Chain Diversification Strategy (2020) set out the government’s long-term vision for the telecoms access supply market: one where competition and innovation bring forward new deployment models based on open interfaces and interoperable standards, with flexible networks and comprising an array of suppliers. This is because such a market increases competition and choice, and ultimately introduces interchangeability of equipment into the supply chain, boosting resilience
The Telecoms Diversification Taskforce recommendation: ‘long-term research and innovation’
The Telecoms Diversification Taskforce was appointed by the government in 2020 to look at where the government should target measures to ensure effective, accelerated and sustainable diversification in the telecoms supply chain. The Taskforce was composed of leading figures across industry and academia, chaired by ex-BT CEO Lord Ian Livingston of Parkhead, and has been providing important, expert, independent advice and scrutiny to the government as it takes action to rebalance the supply chain.
The Telecoms Diversification Taskforce Recommendations and Report called on the government to invest in R&D to accelerate the development and deployment of Open RAN in the short term, but to also invest in long-term R&D on future generations of networks to build UK competitive advantage and ensure that high levels of security, openness and competition are central to the technology roadmap. The taskforce suggested that the government develop a programme on research and development of future networks, and for future ‘network-of-networks’ in partnership with industry - operators and suppliers, academia, SMEs and start-ups, and to build on the UK’s existing world leading academia research base and research laboratories.
Open Networks R&D Fund
The government’s Diversification Strategy was backed by £250 million to invest in the Open Networks R&D Fund, which will run until April 2025. The Open Networks R&D Fund will finance targeted activity, based in the UK, to support three objectives to:
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Accelerate the development of open networking technology from its infancy to commercial viability.
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Incentivise and reduce the risks of deploying open networks technology in the UK at pace, to encourage network operators to accelerate its adoption and deployment.
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Develop an internationally recognised UK telecoms ecosystem, to position the UK as a leading market for research in open network technologies.
The investment will be delivered primarily in the form of competed grants to consortia of capable businesses, academic institutions, and public sector organisations who will deliver R&D projects to suit the objectives of the fund.
The government is currently undertaking a number of interventions to accelerate maturity of open network technology, including the FONRC.
Objectives
The challenge aims to:
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Conduct research impacting future technology roadmaps with the goal that openness and interoperability are embedded in future network architectures and systems by default.
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Contribute to the strengthening of UK influence in Standards Development Organisations (SDOs).
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Strengthen the UK telecoms R&D ecosystem and telecoms capability.
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Engage with DCMS, UKRI/EPSRC, the UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN), SONIC Labs and the UK Telecommunications Laboratory (UKTL) and other future relevant government initiatives where appropriate, and actively contribute to the UK’s evolving future networks and 6G vision.
Challenge process and dates
The challenge will run for eight weeks, with key milestones and deadlines set out below:
Milestones and Deadlines
Challenge opens: 26 July 2022
Briefing event: 2 August 2022
EOI submission deadline (optional): noon 12 August 2022
DCMS review and feedback of EOIs: 15 - 26 August 2022
Challenge closes (deadline for full proposals): noon 3 October 2022
Assessment (no interviews): 4 - 14 October 2022
Notification to successful projects: week commencing 31 October 2022
Grant funding agreements signed: 10 weeks from notification
Delivery of projects to commence: January 2023
Eligibility
This challenge is open to applications from UK-based organisations. Specific eligibility criteria for the competition can be found in the competition guidance.
How to apply
To submit your proposals, please refer to the ‘How to apply’ section of the challenge guidance.
If you wish to submit an expression of interest (EOI) for your initial proposals, please send the EOI form and all relevant documents to ONP.enquiries@dcms.gov.uk by noon 12 August 2022.
If you wish to submit a full proposal, please submit your application form along with all relevant documents by noon 3 October 2022.
Documents
Funding
There is up to £25 million available from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) in this competition, from the date that a grant funding agreement is signed to 31 March 2025.
DCMS will make available grant funding ranging from £4 million to £12 million to individual projects.
Contact us
If you have any questions or would like more clarification, please contact us on ONP.enquiries@dcms.gov.uk.
Updates to this page
Last updated 28 September 2022 + show all updates
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Updated Future Open Networks Research Challenge - clarifications.
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Updated Future Open Networks Research Challenge: draft grant funding agreement to version 1.1 and updated Future Open Networks Research Challenge - clarifications.
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Added Future Open Networks Research Challenge - clarifications.
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First published.