UK-India Future Networks Initiative Kick-off Workshop

Summary of Project
The UK-India Future Networks Initiative (UKI-FNI) is an initial £1.4million project led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and has been funded by the UK Government to explore innovations in the supply chain for hardware and software systems that provide access, connectivity and services for future digital networks. The UKI-FNI project, collaborating with scientists and engineers in India, will also develop a joint vision and research strategy roadmap for the future of 5G and 6G and integration with Optical networks.

Prof Gerard Parr, Chair in Telecommunications Engineering and Head of School of Computing Sciences at UEA, is leading the project. Partners include Regius Prof Rahim Tafazolli at the University of Surrey; Prof Lajos Hanzo at the University of Southampton; and Prof Steve Hailes at University College London. Key partners in India are Prof KVS Hari of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore/BT India Research Centre (BTIRC) and Prof Subrat Kar of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.

The project will explore the technical requirements for future integrated digital networks, the establishment of an experimental testbed connecting India and the UK to test innovative solutions. The project aims to identify opportunities for increased competitiveness and choice of vendors that design, manufacture and deploy systems such as antennae, transmission and switching equipment at base stations, as well as the integration components that support backhaul transport and associated network management control systems.

Zoom invites will be sent nearer the event date.

Draft Agenda
10:00am- 10:15am
Welcome Remarks
Introduction to the UKI-FNI Project- Objectives for the workshop
Professor Gerard Parr

10:15am-10:30am
Special Remarks on Digital Communications Sector
Dr Mike Short- CBE
Chief Scientific Advisor (CSA), Department for International Trade( DIT), UK Government

10:30-10:45
Challenges and Opportunities with Future Digital Networks
Regius Professor Rahim Tafazolli
Head of the Institute for Communication Systems (ICS) University of Surrey- UK

10:45-11:00
Future Networks Strategies and Priorities- India
Professor KVS Hari- IISc Bangalore/BT India Research Centre
Mr. Sanjeev K Varshney, Head International Co-operation, DST

11:00-11:05am
comfort break

11:05-11:20
The View from Industry Perspective(TBC):-
Challenges of Future Networks
Badri Gomatam
Group Chief Technology Officer
Sterlite Technologies India

11:20-11:35
Dr Adrian Sharples – BT
Senior Wireless Research Manager at BT Laboratories
Member of UKI-FNI Advisory Board

11:35-12:15
Panel Discussion
Facilitator- Professor Lajos Hanzo
University of Southampton

Areas for special attention:-
* Hardware/firmware, management software
* AI orchestration
* Terrestrial & non-terrestrial integration for NGNs
* Systems integration, RAN-Optical interface, etc, etc

12:15 -12:30
Closing Remarks and areas for future events
Professor Gerard Parr – UEA UKI-FNI Project Lead PI

Acknowledgement
The project team acknowledge the financial support provided by the UK Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)under GR- EP/W016524/1.