Campus networks are local 5G networks that companies and other organizations can operate privately for their own use, independently of the public mobile communications infrastructure. And these 5G campus networks are booming! The latest analyses predict annual global growth in installations of around 57%.

Open and modular instead of single-vendor solutions

In contrast to the previous practice of implementing campus networks with a solution from a single provider, the CampusOS flagship project aims to take a different, more open approach. Launched in 2022, the project has a total of 22 consortium partners and is coordinated by the Fraunhofer Institutes HHI (Heinrich Hertz Institute for Telecommunications) and FOKUS (Institute for Open Communication Systems). The 36-month project is also financially supported by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK). The CampusOS consortium is convinced that open and modular campus networks with a mix of components from several providers offer many advantages and meet the requirements of increasingly diverse applications and make them possible in the first place.

Four positions for modular 5G campus networks

In a recent position paper, the CampusOS consortium once again outlined the positive aspects of open, modular 5G campus networks. The position paper contains four key points:

Position 1: Open and modular 5G campus networks support the specific requirements of different industries. The flexibility in the selection of hardware and software components enables an optimal mix to meet the requirements of different applications and ensure scalability.

Position 2: Open and modular 5G campus networks provide mechanisms to manage complexity over the entire lifecycle. Automated network orchestration solutions make complex systems manageable.

Position 3: Open and modular 5G campus networks address new markets and enable new business models for suppliers and users in various industries. Increased competition among providers leads to more innovation and higher price pressure.

Position 4: Consolidation and growth of the ecosystem are driving the further introduction of open and modular 5G campus networks. Not one company has to offer the complete solution. This is a particular advantage for small and medium-sized software and hardware providers and also leads to faster developments.

Regular publications point the way

In addition, the position paper emphasizes the impact that testing, best practices, architectural blueprints and public demonstrations can have on the development of a 5G campus network ecosystem. The CampusOS research project aims to bring these elements together and make relevant information widely available through regular publications to enable a smooth transition to open campus network architectures. The full position paper can be downloaded as a PDF at the following address: https://campus-os.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/CampusOS-Position-Paper.pdf

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