5G Research at UCL receives £300k EPSRC grant

A joint project between UCL, Essex University, China Mobile Ltd and InterDigital to develop a key wireless technology for the provision of future wireless communications, including 5G has been funded by the EPSRC with a grant for almost £1m (UCL receiving £300k).

The three year project lead by UCL, titled ‘UPFRONT’ (Unlocking Potentials of MIMO Full-duplex Radios for Heterogenous Networks), will start in February 2016. Multi-antenna full-duplex technology is essential to achieve highly efficient spectrum usage in HetNets (heterogeneous networks).

The implications of full-duplex communications are ‘transformative’ according to Professor Kit Wong of UCL Electronic and Electrical Engineering department. Wong believes that full duplex, which permits simultaneous transmission and reception will lead to a fundamental rethinking of the ways wireless networks are designed and optimised.

He said: “We envisage that full-duplexing can transform the operations of wireless networks and is expected to have massive benefits in HetNets. HetNets are widely regarded as one key wireless technology for the provision of future wireless communications (including 5G) by complex interoperation between macrocells and small cells.”