The Horizon Europe-funded 6G-SANDBOX project has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to foster 6G collaboration and the agreement will link 6G-SANDBOX testbeds with Taiwan’s telecommunications ecosystem to focus on advanced 6G research topics such as joint communications and sensing (JCAS) and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS).
Serving as a crucial catalyst within the Taiwanese ecosystem, ITRI will actively invite companies to participate in the collaboration.
“By seamlessly integrating technologies, applications, and experimental networks from Taiwan into the 6G-SANDBOX testbeds, we are paving the way for collaborative experimentation for people in Europe and Taiwanese companies and institutes, focusing on both 5G and 6G technologies,” said Pang-An Ting, General Director of ITRI’s Information and Communications Research Laboratories. “Looking ahead, we plan to extend invitations to universities and additional Taiwanese companies, aligning our shared commitment to innovating 5G networks and defining 6G standards.”
In addition to driving Taiwanese participation, ITRI will facilitate 6G-SANDBOX testbeds' access to essential components, including 5G cores, 5G O-RAN base stations, SMO/RIC management platforms, JCAS frameworks, and advanced network planning and emulation tools.
“Through a robust interconnection between 6G-SANDBOX testbeds and the ITRI experimental network, we aim to create a comprehensive research platform for 6G applications,” said Michael Dieudonne, 6G-SANDBOX coordinator. “This MoU will further our ability to work with thought leaders across the globe and jointly run experiments to further advances in wireless communications.”
6G-SANDBOX was launched in January 2023 by Keysight in collaboration with 16 partners to create a pan-European testbed for 6G experimentation. The project will combine digital and physical nodes to deliver fully configurable, manageable, and controllable end-to-end networks for validating new technologies and research advancements for 6G.
In addition, 6G-SANBOX will enable entities across the European Union (EU) to test promising technical 6G enablers, including network automation, cybersecurity, digital twins, and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as technologies that streamline energy consumption.
ITRI is a leading global research organisation that has spearheaded 5G technology across diverse domains, such as network infrastructure, wireless communication systems, antenna design, chipsets, and applications, and it remains deeply engaged in both fundamental and applied research.
The 6G-SANDBOX project has received funding from the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) under the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 101096328.
