Similar networks exist at some Spanish universities, but they are for the exclusive use of specific research groups within their own lines of inquiry, not as a service open to the community. This new equipment was presented today at an event attended by Ignacio Villaverde, Rector of the University of Oviedo; Borja Sánchez, Minister of Science, Industry and Employment; and Rafael González Ayestarán, Director of the THIN5G Chair.
This new 5G network operates in standalone mode, meaning it doesn't require a 4G network as a backup. The new infrastructure incorporates all possible technological advancements in this type of network, including the ability to use millimeter wave frequencies, which are very high and enable the network to achieve the much-touted extremely high speeds and very low latency.
Having their own network allows research groups at the University of Asturias to work independently of commercial networks, not depending on an operator, but with absolute control over all the elements that make up the network, which are not normally accessible. This facilitates deeper use of the network for research, teaching, and knowledge transfer, always under real-world conditions, and with total control over the network—something essential for advancing technologies such as advanced 5G and future 6G networks.
The infrastructure has been financed by the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Public Administration and by the European Union through NextGeneration funds, via a project within the 2022 SINGLE R&D 6G Program. The grant amounted to €520,200. The 5G network at the Gijón Campus will be managed by the THIN5G Chair at the University of Oviedo, which is in turn funded by the Government of Asturias through the public entity GITPA (Telecommunications Infrastructure Management of the Principality of Asturias). GITPA has quickly established itself as a leading center for 5G technologies and their industrial applications. The Chair will coordinate research activities, teaching, and collaboration with companies. The network installation was carried out by Teltronic, a Zaragoza-based company with years of experience in critical communications, thus opening a new avenue for collaboration with the University of Oviedo.
Ignacio Villaverde, rector of the University of Oviedo, emphasized that this 5G network represents a " qualitative leap" for the University of Oviedo and for Asturias. "It will allow us to better train our students, promote research in emerging technologies, and collaborate closely with industry to meet the challenges of digitalization," he stressed.
For his part, Borja Sánchez, Minister of Science, Industry, and Employment, emphasized that this infrastructure places Asturias and its University “at the forefront of research and development in mobile connectivity technology.” Furthermore, “it will be a decisive boost for advancing the integration of smart technologies into our productive sector.”
Use in Research:
The new network provides fully open service to all research groups on the Gijón Campus, which is of particular interest in the fields of telecommunications, engineering, industrial digitalization, and Industry 4.0, although its potential use could be beneficial in almost any technical field. It is also open to the entire University of Oviedo. Thanks to this infrastructure, research teams can move from the theoretical laboratory to real-world testing environments, validating solutions in fields such as:
6G,
Industrial Automation and Robotics,
Design of new networks and telecommunications technologies,
Internet of Things (IoT),
Ultra-reliable and low-latency networks,
Autonomous vehicles and drones
, Edge computing (a technology that processes data close to where it is generated),
Cybersecurity,
and Digital Twins
The new network has already begun to be used in projects developed in the Signal Theory and Communications Group.
Use in teaching:
The new network will have an immediate impact on teaching, as it will be integrated into undergraduate and master's degree programs related to Telecommunications, Engineering, and Digital Industry. Students will be able to work with a real, not simulated, network, developing practical exercises, undergraduate and master's theses aligned with the real needs of the industry.
As soon as the network was installed, it became the core of the HIRED-5G teaching innovation project, which has benefited students in several courses within the Bachelor's Degree in Telecommunications Technologies and Services Engineering, the Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and the Master's Degree in Telecommunications Engineering. These students have developed real-world systems that operate wirelessly via 5G, taking advantage of its high performance. Three departments (Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Construction) and the THIN5G and MediaLab chairs have collaborated on this project. Currently, several students have also begun their final year projects using this network.
Use in Transfer:
One of the network's greatest strengths is its openness to industry. Companies in Asturias will be able to use it to test, validate, and demonstrate 5G-based solutions before their commercial deployment. This allows Asturian industry to: reduce technological risks, accelerate digitalization processes, develop new products and business models, and increase its competitiveness in national and international markets. The University of Oviedo also acts as a neutral and trusted environment, facilitating the real-world adoption of 5G in key sectors for Asturias.
The team responsible for this new network consists of professors from the academic institution: Rafael González Ayestarán, Ignacio Rodríguez Larrad, and Luis Fernando Herrán Ontañón. Professors Germán León Fernández and Jesús Alberto López Fernández also participated in the project.
