Is Europe ready for cognitive technologies? [Andrew Stirling]

Is Europe ready for cognitive technologies?
An overview

Agenda
Pressure for change
Europe responds
Regulators
Industry
Academia
Need for a more nimble framework
Next steps for CT
Trials
CT – European overview

Market demand: the dash for data
User interaction
Machine to Machine
Cloud computing
Ad-hoc
Image:
BBC News - Morph phone

The dash for data
European consumers are adopting wireless data rapidly, to the extent that it is displacing fixed connections for some
A powerful array of new devices and services will broaden the appeal of wireless data access still further
Ad-hoc connectivity is growing in importance

Policy demands are growing
European digital agenda
Inclusion
EU’s Competitive Position
European Spectrum Policy Programme
Innovation
Sustainability
Smart energy

Spectrum is key to meeting policy objectives and consumer demand
So we should seek to make more capacity available for new applications and better
But clearing spectrum is expensive and slow, so we need more emphasis on sharing
Tapping as much unused capacity as possible
Allowing cognitive technologies to be deployed to achieve this

Industry is responding
Industry is investing significant sums in new wireless technologies – including cognitive technologies (CT)
Europe’s FP7 programme has significant sums allocated for CT
A number of key industry players are investing in CT, in Europe (MS, BT, Philips, NXP ..)
There are a number of academic centres of excellence

Regulators have started to recognise the need to take CT onboard
Fears and uncertainties have held back introduction of cognitive technologies
But CT is now firmly on the agenda, in
RSPG – CR task group under way
CEPT –
CR task group
WG SE43
WG RA
ETSI TC RRS (Reconfigurable Radio System).

Which administrations are backing cognitive technologies
UK
Sweden
Finland
Others following, with interest
Ireland
France
Germany

European Industry
BT - Martlesham
Ericsson
MS Research – Aachen, Cambridge
Nokia – Finland, US
NXP – Netherlands, France
Philips – US Lab.
Femto players + Green Radio
Alcatel-Lucent
NEC

European Universities
A selection of leading academic groups includes:
Trinity College, Dublin
Aachen University
UK: Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Strathclyde, Surrey, UCL
...???

CT - What’s in the box?
Cognitive technologies provide a powerful array of tools that allow us to get more value from spectrum
Geolocation, which allows regulation to be tuned to local conditions
Spectrum sensing, where much of the European focus has been until recently

Geolocation
Geolocation / Database allows regulators to enable much better use of spectrum
Rural areas can enjoy the dividend!
Provides certainty, which is good for consumers, as well as incumbents
Needs a database service(s)
May use a combination of position sensing technologies
Sufficient in itself for TVWS applications – no spectrum sensing is needed
Lives happily with fragmentation

Spectrum sensing – R&D challenges
The fragmented market makes it difficult to use sensing by itself
Regulatory caution and incumbent pressure are forcing ultra-low sensing levels
Co-operative and hybrid approaches could enhance sensing performance
New avoidance techniques allow rapid response e.g. to a new PMSE user

Worldwide view: how does Europe stack up on CT
Key challenges are similar to other regions
Greater fragmentation – we’re far from the single market
Regulation not fully converged
Power incumbents resisting change effectively
Asian countries are investing heavily in CT
The US has a strong wireless technology base and is motivated by the FCC’s position

Need for a more nimble framework
Wireless technology is evolving rapidly
Need for a more flexible way of accessing spectrum, to ensure that innovation is not blocked
Need to encourage a diversity of investment in infrastructure
More emphasis on technology and service neutrality
Less tying down ....

Next steps for CT
TV white spaces are the first major opportunities to apply CT, with some significant potential wins
UK enabling framework – early 2011
European regulation - ?
ITU WRC – hard work!
Meanwhile .... Trials are underway

Trials

TV white spaces network trials
Redmond, USA
Research ‘White-Fi’ network established on Microsoft’s campus
Mesh topology, exhibits rapid adaptation to changing UHF channel availability
Claudville, USA
Small, deeply rural community now have broadband for the first time
White spaces provides cost effective access distribution, from central fibre hub

TV white spaces network trials
Wilmington, NC, USA
Lighting management, water monitoring
Muni Wi-Fi + school access
Pulmas, CA. USA
Smart energy solution using distributed wireless sensors
South West Scotland
Wind-Fi – sustainable rural broadband

Pubic safety trial – in preparation
Ad-hoc networking can be a power tool in emergency response
Already proved in a fleet of fire-trucks in NL at 2.4 GHz
Longer range and spectrum capacity-on-demand would be a major boost

Summary
Europe has some excellent CT research programmes under way
Consumers are lapping up wireless connectivity
European governments and regulators need to wake up to the opportunities from greater sharing of spectrum, thanks to advances in CT

Thank you!!
My email: v-anstir@microsoft.com
The need for a more nimble spectrum framework

Is Europe ready for cognitive technologies? [Andrew Stirling]

by Keith on Aug 03, 2010

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Is Europe ready for cognitive technologies? [Andrew Stirling] — Presentation Transcript