The Joint Open Infrastructure for Networks Research (JOINER) platform is led by the University of Bristol’s Smart Internet Lab whose future networks mission includes 6G
Digital Catapult, a public-private deep tech innovation organisation, has become one of the first sites to connect to the UK’s Joint Open Infrastructure for Networks Research (JOINER) platform. The JOINER platform is led by the University of Bristol’s Smart Internet Lab. Its mission is to accelerate the adoption of future communication and networking technologies, including 6G, nationwide.
So far, the JOINER platform has brought together 11 universities and research organisations to create environments for large-scale 6G research and experimentation. Digital Catapult will integrate its Autonomous Network Service Management and Orchestration System into JOINER to help create 6G networks that can adapt to the changing demands from UK industry.
Digital Catapult’s network of independent, vendor-neutral testbeds provide access to resources that help organisations apply deep tech innovations to solve complex challenges. In collaboration with the University of Bristol, Digital Catapult has demonstrated advanced inter-domain service orchestration as part of the REASON open networks project, designed to accelerate the practical application of deep tech innovation.
“Interdomain orchestration enables seamless coordination across diverse networks, supporting advanced applications such as holographic video calls, and advancing innovation in the immersive space,” according to Digital Catapult. “This innovation reduces latency, enhances reliability, and dynamically allocates resources, ensuring optimal performance for immersive and bandwidth-heavy experiences, benefiting sectors such as the UK’s creative industries.
The JOINER platform supports early commercialisation and proof-of-concept testing for next-generation networks, convening capabilities from around the UK, and enabling deep tech companies to scale faster. The platform allows industry and academia to gather experimental evidence, translate research, and validate innovative services under real-world conditions, which are pivotal to advancing the development and use of data-driven and open future networks.
This milestone is the latest highlight for Digital Catapult, in its role at the forefront of advancing 5G, 6G, and Open RAN technologies. Its Open RAN Interoperability testing facilities provide a world-class environment for validating and optimising solutions, and these initiatives will accelerate the deployment of efficient, flexible, and interoperable mobile networks, keeping the UK at the forefront of connectivity innovation.
Dritan Kaleshi, Director of 5G Technology at Digital Catapult, said: “We are thrilled to be among the first sites connected to the JOINER platform, a significant step forward in the evolution of future communications and networks research and innovation capabilities in the UK. This collaboration with University of Bristol, and the interconnection with all the other JOINER nodes, highlights our role as a key enabler in telecoms innovation, bringing academia, industry, our leading technical expertise and independent facilities together to drive tangible technical progress and deliver benefits for the UK’s economy and society.”
Professor Dimitra Simeonidou, Director of Smart Internet Lab, University of Bristol, said: “The JOINER platform is going to revolutionise the way we undertake telecoms R&D and innovation in the UK. By creating a national experimentation platform and having leading organisations such as Digital Catapult connected to it, we’ll be able to accelerate the rate at which we can collaborate and innovate, ultimately driving UK growth and global advancements in future telecoms.”
According to a new report from Oxford Economics, the University of Bristol contributed £1.13 billion to the West of England economy and £1.78 billion to the national economy in the 2022/23 academic year.
Picture is of University of Bristol, Wills Building