Radical rethink of UK digital infrastructure

A research-business partnership led by BT, aims to revolutionise the UK’s digital infrastructure.

Developments such as 5G, self-driving vehicles and virtual reality require a shift in how current networks perform as well as their maintenance. This £5m project aims to create the next generation of converged digital infrastructure (NG-CDI) by developing technologies and methods for future use.

Dr Nick Race, NG-CDI’s Principal Investigator, from Lancaster University, said: “Next Generation Converged Digital Infrastructure is an ambitious, multi-disciplinary programme of research that aims to develop a transformational approach to managing the next generation of digital infrastructure for the UK. By delivering this ambitious programme of research we will be forging the next generation digital infrastructure needed to ensure the UK’s success as a prosperous, connected nation.”

The partnership will bring together specialist knowledge ranging from communications, statistics and networking to AI, industrial automation and organisational behaviour. NG-CDI is part of a new set of Prosperity Partnerships, which will receive £31m of government funding from the EPSRC and the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund. This will be matched by £36m from partner organisations as well as £11m from universities’ funds, totalling £78m in all.

Dr Robert Piechocki, Principal Investigator from the University of Bristol, said: “Many future data hungry services such as Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAV), IoT and 5G will demand ubiquitous and dependable connectivity. Such converged networks will be expected to seamlessly re-tune the operations, and even self-heal.”

NG-CDI is a £5m project, jointly funded by Lancaster University and BT. The Universities of Cambridge, Bristol and Surrey are also involved. More information can be found at www.ng-cdi.org.