Collection

Open Networks Research and Development Fund

DSIT publications, announcements and useful documents regarding the Open Networks Research and Development Fund.

• From: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
• Published: 1 April 2026

The Open Networks Research and Development Fund delivered the £250 million 5G Telecoms Supply Chain Diversification Strategy. The fund supported research and development to strengthen the UK telecoms supply chain and accelerate the adoption of open and interoperable mobile network technologies.

Publications

• 5G Supply Chain Diversification Strategy
  • 7 December 2020
  • Policy paper
• Telecoms Diversification Taskforce: findings and report
  • 20 April 2021
  • Independent report
• Government response to the Telecoms Diversification Taskforce
  • 2 July 2021
  • Policy paper
• UK Open RAN principles
  • 29 April 2022
  • Policy paper
• Open Networks Research and Development Fund
  • 1 April 2026
  • Guidance
• Open Networks Research and Development Fund: baseline study
  • 9 June 2023
  • Research and analysis
• DSIT's telecoms research, development and innovation initiatives
  • 27 February 2024
  • Policy paper
• Telecoms supply chain diversification: independent report and recommendations
  • 12 September 2024
  • HTML Publication
• Open Networks Programme: initial evaluation
  • 12 September 2024
  • Research and analysis
• Government response to the Telecoms Supply Chain Diversification Advisory Council report
  • 26 March 2025
  • Policy paper

Announcements

• Future RAN: Diversifying the 5G Supply Chain
  • 26 August 2021
  • Guidance
• New measures to boost UK telecoms security
  • 8 December 2021
  • Press release
• UK Telecoms Innovation Network Competition
  • 17 May 2022
  • Guidance
• New high-tech 5G lab to boost network security and resilience
  • 24 June 2021
  • News story
• UK/Republic of Korea Open RAN R&D collaboration
  • 20 September 2022
  • Guidance
• Future Open Networks Research Challenge
  • 28 September 2022
  • Guidance
• UK to accelerate research on 5G and 6G technology as part of £110 million telecoms R and D package
  • 13 December 2022
  • Press release
• Open Networks Ecosystem Competition
  • 23 June 2023
  • Guidance
• Open Networks Ecosystem competition: successful projects
  • 9 May 2025
  • HTML Publication

Case Studies

• Open Networks Ecosystem Competition
  • 1 April 2026
  • Case study
• Future RAN: Diversifying the 5G Supply Chain Competition
  • 1 April 2026
  • Case study

Published 1 April 2026