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Initiative will give FEUP’s students access to cutting-edge technology for projects involving 5G

Vodafone Portugal will be installing a 5G antenna at the University of Porto’s School of Engineering (FEUP). The initiative comes in the wake of the company’s inclusion in the “FEUP Prime” program which, among other things, is aimed at helping to develop fifth-generation mobile through academic projects in close cooperation between the two organizations.

The partnership agreement with FEUP will also achieve one of the purposes of the Vodafone 5G Hub, an innovation lab for developing the new technology: that of fully capitalizing on all of 5G’s potential. This centre brings together partners tied to the communications sector, industry, start-ups, researchers and universities.

Through this agreement, FEUP has become the Vodafone 5G Hub’s first academic partner, giving its students access to cutting-edge technology for projects involving 5G, testing the technology’s application with a maximum possible number of use cases. Moreover, students will be able to carry out their projects with specialized support from Vodafone teams.

“Much more than just a lab for exploring the potential of fifth-generation mobile, the Vodafone 5G Hub will be a factory for producing knowledge and innovation, key assets allowing Portugal to compete in the European and even the global digital economy. Initiatives like this with FEUP will help to achieve this endeavour,” says João Nascimento, Vodafone Portugal CTO.

“The involvement of companies in FEUP’s activities in terms of academic and research projects is essential towards improving our positive impact on society. This pioneer initiative in Portugal by a leading global company in communications services will also help FEUP to strengthen its knowledge and experience in this area, resulting in multidisciplinary projects using the new technologies and services which will be supported by these new 5G communications,” explains João Falcão e Cunha, Director of the Universidade of Porto’s School of Engineering.

The antenna’s installation is scheduled for the first half of the year, offering Massive MIMO and “beam forming” technologies, two of the latest-generation innovations which will support the next generation of mobile communications.