Tech giant Dell has recently made a significant investment of €2 million in a telecommunications research lab located in Cork, Ireland. This new facility, named the Open Telecom Ecosystem Lab, is the first of its kind to be launched outside the United States. The primary focus of this lab is to test and deploy 5G and 6G innovations in various areas, such as smart manufacturing, industry 4.0, and digital cities. The lab is designed to be a collaborative space where Dell engineers can work together with telecommunications firms across the EMEA region, including Vodafone, Ericsson, VMware, and Druid Software.
The Irish Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney, TD, officially launched the lab. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between technology leaders and telecom providers, stating, “As emerging technology accelerates the pace of change within every sector of our economy, it has never been more important for technology leaders and telecom providers to work together to advance Ireland’s position as an innovation leader.”
The establishment of the Open Telecom Ecosystem Lab not only reinforces Ireland’s position as a hub for emerging technology but also helps create new business opportunities connected to 5G and future 6G deployments. Bob Savage, regional CIO for EMEA and Cork site leader at Dell, expressed his delight at the opening of Dell’s first-ever Open Telecom Ecosystem Lab outside the US. He said, “As telecoms providers look to accelerate the pace of digital transformation within their sector, the new Lab will provide an important space to collaborate, innovate and push the boundaries of an open and modern telecom system. Our talented team of engineers and leading industry partners such as Vodafone, Ericsson, VMware, and Druid Software can accelerate the roll-out of next-generation services.”
One of the primary reasons behind major tech firms investing in telecoms research facilities is the potential of Open RAN technology. Companies like Dell may play a more significant role in producing network infrastructure in the future, owing to this technology and its adoption. In a previous interview with Telecoms.com, Dell pointed to the likelihood of a fusion between the telco and wider technology sectors, which is related to the development and deployment of Open RAN. As the industry moves towards more advanced networking solutions, the Open Telecom Ecosystem Lab in Ireland is expected to play a crucial role in promoting innovation and collaboration among key technology and telecommunications players.
