ComReg, under its Test & Trial Ireland programme, has awarded a test licence to researchers at University College Dublin (UCD) NetsLab. This licence enables testing next-generation communication networks (5G and beyond) under real-world conditions.

Researchers at UCD NetsLab can now deploy and evaluate novel solutions to enhance the privacy and security of future networks. Their work focuses on developing innovative AI and zero-touch solutions to protect both the network and end users from potential security and privacy threats. Additionally, they are exploring traffic steering, dynamic spectrum allocation, and various methods to increase the efficiency and utilisation of Open Radio Access Networks (ORAN).

UCD NetsLab 6G AI-RAN Security Test Network, located at the School of Computer Science at University College Dublin, is a cutting-edge testbed for pioneering 6G and AI-RAN technology research. This testbed is a central hub for advancing 5G technology research. The network utilises OpenAirInterface (OAI), an open-source, software-defined solution. The deployment infrastructure includes a Core Network 5G (CN5G), O-RAN Centralized Unit (O-CU), O-RAN Distributed Units (O-DU), and O-RAN Radio Unit (O-RU). At the edge, the network features a powerful Dell Precision 7920 server for edge computing. Additionally, the network is equipped with two NI Ettus B200 USRPs.