A Lancaster University-led research project that is helping to improve the UK’s digital communications infrastructure has been showcased at a key event organised by one of the UK’s scientific research councils.

The Next Generation-Converged Digital Infrastructure (NG-CDI) project was selected to present at the first showcase event for ‘Prosperity Partnerships’, a flagship research programme delivered by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Guests at the showcase heard from Stephen Cassidy, Chief Researcher in System Science at BT and Industry lead on the project, who outlined the programme’s achievements to date.

“The Prosperity Partnership was an opportunity for BT to take what have been smaller-scale endeavours with individual universities and bring them together in a significant endeavour with a very ambitious goal,” explained Mr Cassidy.

Launched in 2017 as part of the first cohort of EPSRC Prosperity Partnerships, NG-CDI sees multidisciplinary researchers from four universities – Lancaster, Bristol, Cambridge and Surrey – work in partnership with BT to deliver new technologies that help make the UK’s communications infrastructure more resilient, responsive and capable of meeting the demands of a rapidly changing society.

The project is delivering real-world benefit to UK digital consumers. NG-CDI researchers have developed new statistical techniques that analyse massive data flows and detect problems in real-time, alerting staff to potential problems. Several of the systems are now integrated into BT’s operations. Other new technologies developed through the programme have also helped to shape BT’s strategy, and researchers are also collaborating with partners to develop technology standards for telecommunications operators.

NG-CDI has also generated more than £26 million of follow-on funding from public and private sources across the partnership group.

The showcase, held in London, included representatives from all 66 Prosperity Partnerships from both industry and academia, as well as leading representatives from EPSRC including Professor Dame Lynn Gladden, UKRI EPSRC Executive Chair and Dr Amanda Chmura, Deputy Director for Business and Impact Partnerships, who conceived the Prosperity scheme in 2016.

Lancaster University’s Professor Nicholas Race, NG-CDI’s Principal Investigator, said: “The showcase was an opportunity to highlight the research successes arising from NG-CDI. This research has the potential to transform BT’s business and the wider industry, enabling the UK’s communications infrastructure to cope with the increasing demand for network services and providing new opportunities for business growth.”

More information on NG-CDI is available by visiting www.ng-cdi.org

For more information on EPSRC Prosperity partnerships please visit www.discover.ukri.org/bringing-together-business-and-academia/index.html



Professor Nicholar Race and Dr Amanda Chmura