The Hub in All-Spectrum Connectivity is focused on how to optimally combine wired and wireless internet technologies to achieve end-to-end connectivity.
Our Vision:
Over the next decade, advancements in wireless technology, including the exploration of THz and optical spectrum ranges, alongside innovations in fibre systems like hollow-core fibres and new wavelength technologies, will drive the need for integrated spectrum management. The wired and wireless spectrum can no longer be treated separately; they must be managed as a unified resource.
Future communication systems will need to jointly optimize both wired and wireless infrastructure to provide intelligent, adaptable ‘all-spectrum’ connectivity. This will ensure ubiquitous access to services that deliver high capacity, reliability, low latency, and sensing capabilities, all while meeting stringent requirements for security, resilience, energy efficiency, and sustainability.
By addressing these challenges, we can create future-ready networks that meet evolving user demands while ensuring the long-term viability of the UK’s digital infrastructure.
Our Approach:
This Hub will bring together seven institutions from across the UK in a 3 year programme of work. The Hub will have an initial 6-month start-up phase, during which we will engage with relevant stakeholders from across industry, government, operators, regulators and academia (many of whom have existing relationships with Hub members) to co-create a roadmap to deliver all-spectrum connectivity, addressing our three core challenges. We will engage with, and build a community of Academia, Industry and Government through regular events, researcher exchanges, and addition of new partners. A successful programme will deliver a unified view of the wired and wireless spectrum and how best to jointly use these resources, and a strong, vibrant community of researchers, Industry and government. It will deliver new knowledge and innovation, and help strengthen the UKs position in the global wired and wireless community.
All-spectrum connectivity:
In this challenge, we will determine the optimal way to combine wired and wireless spectrum regions for end-to-end connectivity, going beyond conventional transport methods.
Efficient, reliable and resilient networks:
We will explore techniques for seamless and energy-efficient integration of different access technologies, including fibre, microwave, mmWave, THz and LiFi.
Trust and security:
We will investigate areas including optical and RF physical layer security techniques, combining QKD with end-to-end connectivity; optical wireless for security; and optical and RF Physical Layer Security.
Collaborators
Our partnership brings together researchers from the Universities of Belfast, Bristol, Cambridge, Oxford (lead partner), Southampton, Imperial College and UCL. The Hubs form part of the UK Future Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, and we work closely with two other Hubs: TITAN, focusing on networks of networks, and CHEDDAR, focusing on cloud and edge computing.
Investigators
