News Software-based Networks

With the launch of Open6GHub+, Germany will have a national 6G transfer hub as of January 1, 2026. It closes the gap between 6G basic research and economic and social impact. Fraunhofer FOKUS offers 6G core network technologies, AI-based core networks, and digital twins of networks and applications in the hub, which can be used to test and optimize new services.

5G campus networks, satellite communication, 6G mobile communications standard: Dr. Marius Corici becomes co-director of the Software-based Networks business unit.

Fraunhofer FOKUS designed a private 5G campus network at the Otto Lilienthal Research Airfield in Schönhagen (Brandenburg) and implemented it in collaboration with the department of Aviation Management at TH Wildau, “Flugplatz Schönhagen – Forschungsflugplatz Otto Lilienthal”, and MIT GmbH. The multi-vendor network serves as a test environment for use cases and new 5G functions. Fraunhofer FOKUS will present this reference implementation at PMRExpo in Cologne from November 25 to 27, 2025.

Non‑terrestrial networks (NTN) are being incorporated into 6G for the first time from the outset of the standardization process. In this interview Dr. Marius Corici, deputy director of the Software‑based Networks business unit, explains the benefits and operation of such a super network.

Fraunhofer Institute FOKUS in partnership with Deutsche Telekom AG and MediaTek Inc. has successfully integrated TSN standards into a 5G test network. A complete end-to-end TSN system for private 5G networks is provided, spanning from the software-based core network through the radio access network (RAN) to the user equipment. It is suitable for applications requiring deterministic data packet communication, such as robot control in factory shopfloors.

To mark the conclusion of the CampusOS flagship project, 22 partners from industry and research have published a guideline for the development and operation of open and modular 5G campus networks. These networks offer an alternative to the monolithic solutions of established providers and, through their Open RAN-based approach, promote the digital sovereignty of European companies. 5G campus networks can be deployed in various sectors, such as logistics, construction, manufacturing, agriculture, and healthcare.

The lead project CampusOS, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, will be showcasing how to successfully set up and operate a 5G campus network in industry at the Hannover Messe in the 5G Arena (Hall 15, booth H13) from April 22-26, 2024. Experience the new possibilities using representative application examples in Industry 4.0, logistics and robotics, safe teleoperated driving, on construction sites or in the clinic networked with 5G.

Flexibility, high levels of innovation and more competition – the CampusOS consortium, consisting of 22 partners from industry and research, has published a position paper that highlights the advantages of open, modular campus networks.

At the airfield in Schönhagen, ALADIN partners today demonstrated how a temporary local 5G network can improve forest firefighting. In various field tests, an overall solution was integrated so that emergency forces can now be networked, firefighting robots and drones can be controlled, and situational images can be transmitted to the operations center in real-time.

On 6 June 2023, 6G-SANDBOX, a pan-European testbed for 6G experimentation funded by Smart Networks and Service Joint Undertaking under Horizon Europe, announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the European Space Agency (ESA) to advance innovation used to integrate satellites with terrestrial networks built on 5G and future 6G technologies by connecting 6G-SANDBOX testbeds with ESA 5G/6G Hubs.