Blu Wireless streams ultra-fast Gbps video through central Bristol as part of EU’s final 5G-XHaul demonstration

Blu Wireless Technology, a specialist provider of unlicensed mmWave networking solutions, has announced its 5G-ready technology has been used to stream video through Bristol’s historic centre.

The 5G-XHaul project demonstration, which started July 1 2015, marks the end of a 3 year collaborative research study to identify 5G technologies funded by the European Commission under the framework of the 5G Public Private Partnership (5G-PPP). In the demonstration, Blu Wireless mmWave baseband IP joins 5G technologies from 12 consortium partners from government, industry and academia, including Huawei, Telefonica, Bristol is Open and the University of Bristol.

Blu Wireless mmWave baseband IP and the latest mmWave Typhoon™ modems are used to provide a canopy of connectivity across the city, using a wireless mesh network on which the data is transmitted. Suitable for deployments of carrier-grade gigabit connectivity, Blu Wireless’s highly integrated and sophisticated mmWave products enable ultra-fast, low-latency connectivity for combined backhaul and broadband, 5G networks, high-speed transport, consumer and smart city applications. This technology of tomorrow is ready today for easy and cost-effective roll-out.

“We’re delighted that this final demonstration takes place in our home town,” said Henry Nurser, CEO at Blu Wireless. “Through SMEs such as ourselves, various academic institutions and partners, and with support from government organisations such as Bristol is Open and Bristol City Council, the UK is helping to deliver world-leading 5G and mmWave wireless technologies. Our intention is to continue to work on 5G trial deployments and testbeds, such as University of Surrey Innovation Centre 5G testbed, Autoair – where the use of the upper 60 GHz band in an outdoor mesh deployment is believed to be a world first – and the Liverpool 5G testbed, where we are helping deliver gigabit internet to homes in digitally excluded communities. This will specifically benefit the local social and health care services across the region.”

As part of the demonstration to mark the end of the 5G-XHaul project, Blu Wireless has worked closely with Bristol Is Open Smart City Research and Development Platform, supplying its 60 GHz baseband IP to deliver a novel wireless mesh network that extends gigabit coverage from a terabit fibre optic backbone into non-connected areas of the city.

The 5G-XHaul project has also been used to understand a wide range of issues relating to 5G deployment, including the impact of 5G RAN architectures on transport networks, and the deployment of massive MIMO.

Prof. Eckhard Grass (IHP), Coordinator of the project stated:

“All demonstrations ran very smoothly and robustly, showing the developed concepts in practical applications. This is the result of some intense work and constructive cooperation over the last 3 years. All partners will benefit from the outcome of this joint work which is reflected in scientific publications, standards, patents and product developments. In fact, most partners are continuing their cooperation in another European Project with the acronym 5G-PICTURE.”

During the project Blu Wireless, alongside fellow 5G-XHaul technology contributor I2CAT, has been named a Key Innovator within the Horizons 2020 Programme, the European Commission’s Innovation Radar Platform.