The FOKUS business unit Software-based Networks (NGNI) develops efficient, scalable and application-optimised communication technologies and architectures for the digital world. We provide the necessary expertise and the communications infrastructure in form of modular software tools and flexible technology testbeds. Thus, we enable the practical and expeditious implementation of our customers’ and partners' innovative products, solutions and ideas, as well as the realization of portable demonstrators and realistic reviews of the latest concepts and technologies.

Our central research topics include campus and nomadic networks, realtime communication, integration of satellite technology, 5G testbeds and the evolution towards 6G.

Among the services we provide are prototyping, proof-of-concept implementations, demo development, testbed setup, consulting, studies, benchmarking and testing.

Our Solutions

• Open5GCore: a flexible configurable, 3GPP compliant carrier grade core network for heterogeneous access networks
• 5G Playground: Ready-to-use 5G testbed in and around the Fraunhofer FOKUS building in Berlin. Blueprint for replicating the testbed at premises of customers worldwide using the Open5GCore network
• NEMI: Platform that enables network-aware edge-based data exchange and analytics

Our customers and partners

Our customers include well-known network operators, manufacturers, integrators, service providers, as well as scientists from renowned research institutes and universities from around the world.

Open5GCore reference customers

The business unit is one of the most committed sources of ideas for the European initiatives in the ICT sector, such as Europe's Future Internet Research and Experimentation Initiative (FIRE), and Europe's Future Internet Public Private Partnership Programme (FI-PPP). Through FIRE we offer, in alliance with international test partners, testing and experimentation environments to the European research community. Via cutting-edge federation tools we make our prototypes available to European researchers. Within the framework of FI-PPP several of our results will be used to implement the Future Internet core platform, which supports a large range of application fields, including Industry 4.0, critical applications, eHealth, smart transportation, smart energy, smart cities, among others.

In addition, we are in close cooperation with the NGNI chair at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the TU Berlin. Part of this cooperation is the training of Masters and PhD students, as well as the research and development of the software for the above mentioned solutions.