Telecoms infrastructure provider Cellnex Ireland has partnered with Dublin City University (DCU) to develop Ireland's first 5G-enabled "smart campus".
The partnership will see Cellnex install telecommunication infrastructure to provide uninterrupted 5G coverage across the main campus, the DCU Alpha Innovation Campus and the DCU sports campus.
Cellnex says the 5G coverage will facilitate Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) capabilities on the campuses which allows for the increased adoption of bandwidth-heavy applications, such as internet of things (IoT), virtual and augmented reality, remote medical monitoring and connected and autonomous vehicles.
Cellnex and DCU are now seeking to collaborate with mobile network operators to develop 5G capabilities across the campuses.
"This partnership will allow DCU to take its IoT and smart campus activities to the next level," said Ronan O'Connor, Commercial Director of Cellnex Ireland.
"Continued adoption of 5G and IoT applications is vital in creating a competitive economy," Mr O'Connor said.
Kieran Mahon, Smart DCU Projects Facilitator, said the partnership will help unlock innovation and research possibilities.
"Smart DCU, under the auspices of the Smart Dublin programme, has been established as a microcosm of a smart city, allowing the campus infrastructure to be used as a testbed for new technologies like Mobile Edge Computing, in partnership with world leading innovative companies like Cellnex," Mr Mahon said.
