Ericsson said it will invest millions of pounds in 6G network research in the United Kingdom, working with universities on hardware security, artificial intelligence, cognitive networks and quantum computing, foreign media reported.
Ericsson said the 10-year program will help drive the development of next-generation 6G networks, which are expected to be commercially available around 2030.
We will build a team of 20 experienced researchers in the UK and will also provide funding for students,” said Katherine Ainley, CEO of Ericsson UK and Ireland. The initial focus will be on 6G networking and hardware security.” Potential universities for the collaboration are said to include the University of Surrey, the University of Bristol and the University of Manchester.
The new research team will complement Ericsson’s 17 existing research sites in 12 countries/regions, she said.
The UK government said Ericsson’s investment was a “huge vote of confidence” in the UK telecommunications industry, adding that the UK would soon publish a development strategy for 6G technology.