BARCELONA, February 28, 2024: The United Kingdom’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has procured Rakuten Symphony’s Open RAN technology for use in the West Midland's flagship UK Telecoms Lab (UKTL), operated by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). The use of Rakuten Symphony’s technology within UKTL will support the Government's effort to diversify the UK 5G telecoms market and drive the security and resilience of the telecoms sector. The partnership was announced during MWC Barcelona 2024, held from February 26 until February 29.
Rakuten Symphony will supply its own 5G standalone and 5G non-standalone RAN software, underlying cloud-native software platform and RAN management solution, in addition to hardware from three different third-party hardware vendors, covering 5G massive MIMO antennas, 4G Radio Units and COTS servers.
Julia Lopez, Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure, United Kingdom, said, “A secure telecoms infrastructure is vital if we are to boost growth and drive innovation across the country. We launched the UK Telecoms Lab to bring industry experts and academics under one roof in a state-of-the-art facility, where new tech can be rigorously tested before being rolled out. Having Rakuten Symphony's tech deployed at this facility is great news for UKTL and is a major validation of the UK’s position as the home of tech innovation. By putting new software and hardware through its paces, suppliers will be able to bring tried-and-tested products to market, strengthening our telecoms network, powering the creation of specialized jobs, and advancing digital skills.”
"Rakuten Symphony is proud to support the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s (DSIT) efforts to boost the security, resilience and performance of the UK’s telecom networks,” Nastasi Karaiskos, Managing Director, Rakuten Symphony UK, said. “Rakuten Symphony is committed to supporting the UK in building robust national digital infrastructure, and in accelerating the development of Open RAN within the country’s telecommunications ecosystem, as well as accelerating the evolution of smart, sustainable and secure Open RAN in Europe.”
Future testing will also be extended to include Rakuten Symphony’s near-real-time and non-real-time RAN Intelligent Controller software, which streamlines open radio access networks (Open RAN) by enabling automation and programmability of the network and its services.
Andy Blackmore, Managing Director, UKTL, said, “Our fantastic team of cyber and telecoms experts are already researching and testing network vulnerabilities to help keep the UK networks safe and secure. NPL is providing the expertise and leadership to operators so that they have the confidence to deploy their solutions and technology in UK networks. The team are working collaboratively with industry, academia, and government at the heart of the West Midlands, placing the UK at the forefront of new technologies. Ultimately, UKTL is injecting innovation, supporting invention and providing the platform for implementation to deliver impact from science for our national security and economic growth.”
The UKTL is a state-of-the-art facility in Solihull, an £80 million Government investment, which is providing test and evaluation capabilities of the resilience and security of vital telecommunications systems that are being deployed in the UK, aiming to place the country at the forefront of new technologies that can support national security and economic growth. UKTL is operated by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), a national laboratory which provides cutting-edge science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK.
NPL experts are already testing and validating the security, interoperability, and performance of Rakuten Symphony’s Open RAN technology. Experts at NPL provide testing and advice to vendors, suppliers, and users, enabling them to improve their systems before deployment or use.
UKTL is part of a wider £250 million ($317 million) strategy to make the UK’s telecoms networks less reliant on a small number of equipment suppliers. This includes accelerating the development of diverse and innovative 5G technology that can maintain the country's position as one of the world’s preeminent players in technology and science.
Rakuten Symphony is reimagining telecom, changing supply chain norms and disrupting outmoded thinking that threatens the industry’s pursuit of rapid innovation and growth. Based on proven modern infrastructure practices, its open interface platforms make it possible to launch and operate advanced mobile services in a fraction of the time and cost of conventional approaches, with no compromise to network quality or security. Rakuten Symphony has operations in Japan, the United States, Singapore, India, Europe and the Middle East Africa region. For more information, visit: https://symphony.rakuten.com.
About NPL
NPL is the UK’s National Metrology Institute, providing the measurement capability that underpins the UK's prosperity and quality of life.
From new antibiotics to tackle resistance and more effective cancer treatments, to secure quantum communications and superfast 5G, technological advances must be built on a foundation of reliable measurement to succeed. Building on over a century’s worth of expertise, our science, engineering and technology provides this foundation. We save lives, protect the environment and enable citizens to feel safe and secure, as well as support international trade and commercial innovation. As a national laboratory, our advice is always impartial and independent, meaning consumers, investors, policymakers and entrepreneurs can always rely on the work we do.
Based in Teddington, south-west London, NPL employs over 600 scientists. NPL also has regional bases across the UK, including at the University of Surrey, the University of Strathclyde, the University of Cambridge and the University of Huddersfield's 3M Buckley Innovation Centre.
For more information visit: www.npl.co.uk
Media Contacts
National Physical Laboratory
Charlotte Blake
Corporate Communications Leader, National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
0773 889 6090
Rakuten Symphony
Global Corporate Communications Department
