Information and Communication Technology

Information and communication technologies (ICT) are the central nervous system of the networked world. They are among the key technologies for the performance and value creation of companies, for the technological sovereignty of states, and for people's everyday lives. The rapidly increasing demands on digital systems and further developments in technologies and processes are characteristic of the ICT sector. Continuous adaptation and optimization of network infrastructures and digital processes are essential to ensure that the resulting opportunities can also be exploited by society. 

ICT systems already connect billions of devices, and this number is rising rapidly, not only in smartphones but also in the Internet of Things. Our world produces huge amounts of data, for example through the use of social networks, information services, trading platforms, and media services. Today, this data must be available everywhere. Only with the help of modern communication systems can these data streams be handled and distributed: from the access network to the wide area and core networks, from radio masts or satellites to fiber optics and submarine cables to data centers, edge, or the cloud. The core networks in the so-called backbone play a particularly important role here. The powerful and mostly fiber-optic network connections bundle and transport national and international data streams, thus forming the backbone of the digital infrastructure. 

The business sector (Industry 5.0) in particular already has a particularly high demand for reliable communication technology and secure data exchange. In the highly flexible factory of the future, wireless transmission technologies will be standard—this applies to the control of mobile robots as well as to virtual reality applications. The further development of the 5G mobile communications standard currently forms the basis for innovative applications in industry, but also in logistics, transportation, healthcare, and other sectors. In reality, not all expectations for 5G have been met yet. Companies, research institutions, and local authorities are continuing to work on 5G use cases. 

Current research and development of the next mobile communications standard, 6G, is shifting away from a strong industrial focus and putting people and their interaction with technology back at the center. For example, network-integrated sensor technology will enable 6G networks to detect their environment and interact with it. With the help of artificial intelligence, the networks will also be able to organize data traffic and themselves and respond independently or resiliently to disruptions in order to minimize the probability of failure. 6G will be the first AI-native mobile communications infrastructure on which AI services can be executed by users. Combined with the targeted 6G performance parameters (data rate 1 TB/s, transmission latency <1 ms), 6G will deliver on the promises of 5G (e.g., autonomous driving, smart cities) and enable new applications (e.g., digital twins, 3D networks, networked sensor technology) and new solutions. 

It is therefore also crucial for technological sovereignty that companies in Germany and Europe (continue to) develop, master and advance future technologies and thus remain competitive in the market. Critical network components should once again be manufactured in Europe to a greater extent. 

In order to specifically lower market entry barriers, research into and application of innovative, open, and software-based network technologies is also being promoted. The focus here is on developing resilient, energy-efficient, and sustainable communications infrastructures and establishing a European innovation ecosystem. Projects on open network architectures—such as Open RAN—are helping to reduce technological dependencies and strengthen Europe's digital sovereignty. In addition to financial support, it is also important to provide targeted support for networking between research, industry, and politics in order to ensure long-term innovation momentum.

Advising, Analysing, Organising, Promoting

This know-how is used to provide strategic advice on research policy decisions or the development and implementation of research programs. In our project management laboratory, the PT Lab, we also develop methods and tools to address the questions and needs of our customers individually and find suitable solutions. In our project management laboratory, the PT Lab, we also develop methods and tools to address the specific questions and needs of our customers and find suitable solutions.