Offshore 5G Technology Challenges
Together with the Rijkswaterstaat we will be investigating several issues in this regard, for example:
- Knowledge about 5G spectrum propagation at sea is still limited.
- The same goes for the number of installation locations.
- There are challenges with offshore power supply and backhaul connections to shore.
- The proliferation and integration of offshore and onshore cloud/edge infrastructure brings new challenges.
The need for data connectivity in the North Sea
From a government perspective, there is a growing need for data connectivity in the North Sea to carry out official business, while also protecting security and sovereignty, especially given the large amount of economic activity now taking place in the North Sea.
In 2017-2018, the Coast Guard’s “North Sea Broadband” project investigated the potential for broadband connectivity at sea over the next five years. The study defined broadband solutions for the maritime environment and identified the Coast Guard’s current and future needs for digital connectivity.
Expanding to other government agencies
The follow-up study expanded the scope to other government agencies, given the increasing government activity in the North Sea and ambitious plans for the Dutch offshore wind energy region.
To test new applications of various technological capabilities, Rijkswaterstaat has established the Connectivity Fieldlab North Sea (CFNS) at its Offshore Expertise Centre in Stellendam. CFNS aims to create an ecosystem where government, industry and knowledge institutions can work together to improve digital connectivity solutions in the North Sea.
Opportunities for Maritime Connectivity Solutions
Opportunities must be created for new and existing maritime connectivity solutions to work in conjunction with other Blue Economy interests to enable them to carry out public tasks. In addition to satellite links, Wi-Fi, DAB+ and VDES, 5G technology in the sub-1 GHz bands has been identified as a key candidate to provide the broadband and IoT connectivity required for the operational areas of the Coast Guard and other government organizations.
The purpose of CFNS
With a focus on government public service, the National Marine Institute aims to achieve breakthroughs with CFNS by demonstrating the range of uses for 5G as a communications technology at sea. Creating a 5G test environment will allow it to test the practicality of a range of innovative concepts, which will provide insight into the capabilities and maturity of these solutions before they can be deployed more widely in the North Sea.
Research on Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN)
A key aspect of this study is whether a new concept, Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN), could meet the government’s communications needs in the North Sea. In 2022 we prepared a report to be presented to the House of Commons describing the current state of Open RAN technology. O-RAN could have implications on the security and security of supply of communications network equipment.
Our Experience with 5G Technology
“TNO has gained extensive experience with 5G technology and 5G field labs in several projects on land, but not yet at sea. Given the significant developments in offshore wind and solar power generation globally, it is important for us to gain knowledge on concrete applications of new communications methodologies that can help address the challenges that arise especially at sea.”
