Future communications hub in all-spectrum connectivity

The demand for wireless communications continues to grow exponentially, creating a severe shortage of wireless spectrum, and connectivity challenges, especially in indoor densely occupied environments. At the same time, optical wireless and new radio frequency approaches such as higher frequency systems and intelligent surfaces are maturing, creating new opportunities for wireless communications. All these systems require backhaul, provided by fibres, and here new fibre innovations, such as hollow core and new longer wavelength glass core are opening up new wavelength regions. The Hub brings together eight core partners with world-leading expertise in wireless and fibre communications to investigate how to use these emerging capabilities to provide all-spectrum connectivity. We will develop comparative models that allow the optimal combination of wired and wireless spectrum to be determined; develop methods to jointly optimise their use, and investigate approaches to create a universal interface between the wired and wireless domains. Partners will jointly undertake demonstrations using existing testbeds as well as systems modelling and a range of other activities. The work of the Hub will be in partnership with industry, government and the wider academic community with significant resources to support such partnerships reserved, and we will engage widely to ensure we maximise the impact of the work we undertake.