InterDigital Gets EU Funding for 6G Research

InterDigital secured EU funding for their 6G research. The funding is covering five of 35 projects as part of a €250 million initiative to advance the European role in the evolution beyond 5G.

The US mobile R&D company won backing to explore AI-enabled radio access; Digital Twins; short-range communications protocols; validation tools for potential 6G technologies; and another verification project covering reconfigurable intelligent surfaces and cell-free Massive MIMO. InterDigital stated the funding is being provided by the EU’s Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking, an initiative forming part of the Horizon Europe 6G Flagship project.

The EU network unit is running the latest 35-project program in conjunction with the 6G-IA, an association that describes itself as the private element in the Horizon 2020 5G Public Private Partnership. InterDigital’s selection builds on its participation in 6G@UT, a project in the US led by the University of Texas announced in 2021. The company’s CTO Rajesh Pankaj said its participation in the EU project validated its previous contributions to the European wireless research and innovation ecosystem, referencing its work in previous 5G programs.