Sheffield University to open UK's first national 6G research facility following success of 5G

The new UKRI National 6G Radio Systems Facility, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Group, is set to give the UK world class research and development (R&D) capabilities in 6G technology. The facility will bring together academics and industrial partners with specialist equipment needed to “collaborate and develop globally leading 6G solutions”.

Professor Timothy O'Farrell, Professor of Wireless Communication at the University of Sheffield, who will direct the new facility, said: “6G is the next generation of telecommunications technology and has fast become a strategically important area for research and development. If the UK is to maintain its place as a global leader in telecommunications then we need the specialist equipment that our academics and industrial partners can use to innovate and develop next generation 6G technologies.

“The national facility we are creating at the University of Sheffield will play a huge role in the UK's 6G capabilities.”

The facility will be based in the University’s Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering and will establish the UK’s 6G research community and support the delivery of future 6G services. Over the last few years, mobile networks have been rolling out 5G services with EE’s network, which was the UK’s first, now said to be in 160 towns and cities. Three’s 5G network is the largest, with moneysavingexpert reporting their coverage includes 303 towns and cities.