Seven trillion devices will need high speed network by 2020
Business leaders and researchers have predicted that by the year 2020, over seven trillion devices would be connected to the global mobile network, and that the current 3G and 4G technology will not be able to cope.
The seminar invited businesses in south west England to engage in the programmes necessary to meet this challenge and to participate in Horizon 2020. The programme has a number of key R&D objectives, including the development of the next generation of mobile networks and the desire to keep European-developed technologies at its heart.
Paul O’Collins, manager of Enterprise Europe Network South West, said: “The challenge is clear. We need to ensure that European technology companies lead the way in the development of the next generation of mobile networks. The Horizon 2020 funding programme is specifically designed to support the research and development of both large and small businesses to help maintain Europe’s leading position in this and other key sectors.”
Dr Neil Davies, chief scientist at Predictable Network Solutions, was equally clear: “There are significant issues around the huge anticipated demand for mobile networks and mobile devices. The laws of physics set real challenges for meeting these objectives. We are all bound by the fundamental constraints of information theory and the speed of light. We are going to have to rethink how our networks are designed, built and controlled in order to meet this potentially huge demand for simultaneous high speed access to trillions of devices.”
The seminar was jointly organised by the Enterprise Europe Network South West, Business West and the UK’s Technology Strategy Board.
