Deutsche Telekom announced yesterday that Helmut Schmidt University/Hamburg Bundeswehr University (HSU/UniBw H) is operating its own 5G campus network. The campus network reliably supplies the Bundeswehr Digitalization Technology Research Center (dtec.bw) with high-performance mobile communications via 5G Standalone (5G SA). Scientific and industrial partners will also use his innovative 5G testbed to trial digital applications. Deutsche Telekom has built a private 5G network using Ericsson technology.
HSU/UniBw H utilizes 5G campus networks to research the use of wireless connectivity, especially in industrial production and business processes. The interaction between sensors, actuators, and real-time networking of cyber-physical systems is studied. Cloud computing and artificial intelligence are also being applied. The focus is on applications from the areas of automation technology and logistics, autonomous robots, drone defense systems, and 5G-based safety and security applications.
At HSU/UniBw H, Telekom uses the “Campus-Network Private” enterprise customer solution. The company installed six indoor antennas on the university campus for this purpose. Additionally, he installed two ultra-compact transmitting stations outdoors. 5G SA campus networks operate separately from public mobile networks. The entire infrastructure, from antennas to active system technology, gateways, and network servers, is located on the HSU/UniBw H campus. This means that all data traffic remains within the local campus network.
The university’s local site connection allows particularly fast data processing. The short range of the independent 5G architecture supports data-intensive applications with ultra-low response times in the millisecond range. The 5G SA network will operate on frequencies in the 3.7-3.8 gigahertz range reserved exclusively for universities. Therefore, up to 100 megahertz of bandwidth is available only to researchers.
One special feature of the campus network’s private 5G architecture is that, for the first time, part of the 5G core network is directly connected to Ericsson’s 5G Device and Network Test (DNT) platform in Düsseldorf. This means campus networks benefit from the latest updates and further developments from network technology providers, even before they are officially launched on the market. Therefore, researchers can test the latest network features. Despite connectivity to external Ericsson 5G devices and network testing platforms, the university’s own data traffic is handled only on the private part of the campus network on site.
HSU/UniBw H allows you to flexibly adapt your private network and manage various functions on demand. For example, data traffic within a campus network can be prioritized to specific applications as needed. Closed systems are characterized by a high level of data security and reliability. Architectural redundancy in the local core network ensures that the network continues to function even if the cloud-based management portal is interrupted. Universities also benefit from guaranteed continuous availability.
The partners will initially collaborate for three years and will also test innovative 5G mmWave technology (5G mmWave) in the future. This includes the use of a frequency spectrum in the 26 gigahertz range. This is allocated directly to the parties by the Federal Network Agency and allows for high data rates. Currently only allowed for use in local applications. Therefore, this frequency spectrum is particularly suitable for his 5G campus networks with data-intensive applications.
Professor Dr. Gerd Scholl, Head of the Department of Electrical Measurement Technology at Helmut Schmidt University/Hamburg Bundeswehr University
5G standalone will further accelerate digitalization and research on future technologies. With Ericsson’s network technology and Deutsche Telekom’s campus network, we create the best conditions for the transfer of innovation between research and practice. At the test site, science and industry are developing new 5G-based products, applications and business models under real-world conditions.
Klaus Werner, Managing Director of Business Customers at Telekom Deutschland
Together with HSU, we have implemented one of the most modern campus networks in Germany, based on the latest standards available. It supports industry-critical features such as network slicing and ultra-low latency. With this campus network, HSU will provide valuable insights into the 5G ecosystem and, by extension, Industry 4.0 as a whole.
Daniel Leimbach, Head of Western Europe, Ericsson
As a powerful and secure network technology, 5G lays the foundation for innovation. It is precisely this focus on innovation that unites our partners Helmut Schmidt University, Deutsche Telekom and Ericsson. We are working together to drive research and development of his 5G applications for a wide range of industries.
