Sunrise and Huawei open 5G research centre in Switzerland

By Fiona Leake
published

Huawei and Sunrise have teamed up to open a 5G research centre in Switzerland.

(Image credit: Sunrise)

Huawei will co-build its first 5G research centre in Europe by extending its existing partnership with Swiss telco Sunrise. The centre will be called the 5G Joint Innovation Center, and aims to push the boundaries of 5G with new research. 

The research centre will be based at Sunrise's headquarters in Opfikon, Switzerland, and will be used to develop 5G applications in both the private and business sectors. And it will also serve as a base to build Switzerland’s 5G networks. 

Within the centre, Huawei will also operate a separate lab where developers are free to use a live 5G network to test out their applications, using Huawei components. 

Showcase the huge potential of 5G

"What we have presented today will showcase the huge potential of 5G applications for both the private and business sectors.”

Olaf Swantee, CEO at Sunrise.

The lab is likely to serve as a great promotion of 5G services provided by both Huawei and Sunrise. It is also a great way for Huawei to drum up more business amid the security concerns being flagged up by the US.

"With the opening of the first 5G Joint Innovation Center in Europe, we as a leading 5G provider are taking another important step,” said Olaf Swantee, CEO at Sunrise. “What we have presented today will showcase the huge potential of 5G applications for both the private and business sectors.”

Looking ahead 

This isn’t Huawei’s first research centre, earlier this year the company opened the “world's first 5G Open Lab" in South Korea. These open labs encourage businesses to come and try out Huawei’s 5G equipment. And whilst Huawei’s equipment is banned in the US, Australia and Japan, other countries could still be open to working with the company. 

Switzerland was the first country in Europe to roll out a 5G network with Sunrise, using Huawei’s equipment. Furthermore, all major UK telcos are using Huawei’s equipment in their rollout despite the government still deciding on the ban. 

Fiona Leake
Fiona Leake

Fiona discovered her love for investing and making money from a young age. Since then this interest has grown and now she loves writing about investing and business, and follows the 5G market closely. She is also a technology enthusiast, and so they tend to be her favourite investments.