In the coming months, T-Mobile Czech Republic will build the most modern campus network in the Czech Republic for the Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics (CIIRC CTU). Thanks to data communication built on the fastest 5G technologies, this campus network will enable scientists, companies and students to test and expand the concepts of smart factories of the future and digitized production. The construction of the network is part of the Memorandum on Long-Term Cooperation on the Development of Industry 4.0, which was signed by both parties.
The campus network at CIIRC ČVUT will be launched during the second quarter of this year and will cover laboratory premises, especially the Testbed for Industry 4.0, with a total area of more than 1000 m2. It is also the first so-called 5G stand alone (SA) network for industrial use in the Czech Republic.
The technology for T-Mobile’s first 5G SA network will be supplied by Ericsson, which has won the tender. The 5G SA network will make it possible to test and further expand the concept of smart factories, which open up new opportunities with the help of a high data flow. Cooperation with industrial companies on case studies will further develop their competitiveness and the innovation potential of Czech industry.
„Building a campus network at CIIRC CTU is the first of the projects within the strategic cooperation with T-Mobile. In the future, we plan, for example, the involvement of other laboratories, joint implementation of research projects or support in preparation of final student works at CIIRC CTU,“ explains Ondřej Velek, Director of CIIRC CTU.
„T-Mobile specializes in campus networks for universities and industry and is investing tens of millions of crowns in them this year alone. The signing of cooperation with CTU is a crucial step for us. CIIRC is one of the top workplaces and we believe that by using the latest telecommunications technologies we will help accelerate the digitization of Czech industry,“ says Petr Jonák, Director of Corporate Affairs at T-Mobile Czech Republic, adding: „Campuses with 5G networks will enable especially small and medium-sized companies, to try innovative solutions for smart production, to simulate production processes and thus more easily introduce elements of digitization into their companies.“
T-Mobile is also a partner of the nationwide academic-industrial platform National Center for Industry 4.0. Thanks to this, there will be possibilities to test 5G networks also within interconnected partner „testbeds“ or experimental factories of the future. These are functionally and organizationally covered by the European center of excellence focused on advanced industrial production RICAIP. In addition to the testbed of the Prague CIIRC CTU, this also includes the newly built workplace at CEITEC at the Brno University of Technology and the state-of-the-art testbed of the German institutes DFKI and ZeMA in Saarbrücken. The testbed at the University of Mining – Technical University of Ostrava is also newly involved.
„Distributed production, but also the whole concept of Industry 4.0 are based on high autonomy of production equipment so as to minimize the human factor in the exchange of information not only between machines themselves, but especially between related systems throughout the product life cycle, including design and engineering tools across production management systems, warehouses, orders, customer relationships up to logistics and supply chains. And this cannot be done without a reliable high-speed network“, says Jaroslav Lískovec, director of the National Industry Center 4.0. According to him, small and medium-sized companies will directly participate in the case studies and thus develop practical solutions applicable to standard industrial production.
Private Campus Network
Campus networks enable companies and research centers to use various modern digital communication technologies supporting LTE, 5G, IoT, for their work, production and operational purposes. The private campus is of key importance, especially in connection with 5G network technology. The main benefit is digitization not only in manufacturing industries, but also in other areas such as logistics, trade or healthcare. Fifth generation networks are designed to be secure against eavesdropping and other risks of misuse. They operate in the licensed band, so they have clear rules that protect networks from interference. They are able to handle operation with a very high density of end devices. The first private 5G campus network in the Czech Republic was launched by T-Mobile at the end of 2020 on the campus of VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava.
5G stand alone technology (5G SA)
5G SA technology brings 5G closer to reaching its true potential. Unlike the 5G non-standalone (5G NSA), which still uses 4G in some parts, the 5G stand alone version comes with a complete 5G architecture. Both its radio part (RAN) and the core part (Core) will offer higher speeds, lower latency and the possibility of a massive IoT connection. It opens the door to new applications such as mobile augmented and virtual reality, automatic vehicle control, precise in-door navigation, real-time translation, etc.
The development of innovative solutions for industry is also supported throughout Europe by the parent group Deutsche Telekom. For example, one of Europe’s largest 5G campus networks is currently being set up at the Hanover Exhibition Center.