An innovative and transformational business

This commitment to R&D+i represents one of themain challenges for Cellnex in the current globalcontext, which is characterised by its stronginnovative component and global social realitythat is strongly linked to the digital world andcommunication technologies.

Accordingly, the Cellnex innovation strategy focuses on the services of the future in each of its business lines:

Innovation in telecommunications infrastructure services focuses on the search for a new-concept site that fosters greater sharing of infrastructure at all levels (mast, antenna, radio signal, etc.) and the diversification of the range of services offered, ensuring that it meets future requirements related to 5G and new network architectures.
In the Audiovisual Broadcast Networks business, innovation is focused on maintaining competitiveness and responding to new challenges in the audiovisual sector. Specifically, Cellnex seeks to convert the linear DTT experience into an interactive experience through the concept of Smart TV or connected television.
Other network services In the field of security, this innovative activity has a priority aim of incorporating broadband into its IT systems and studying how this will be complemented with Cellnex tetra solutions, mainly for video-intensive applications. The digital market also offers Cellnex the opportunity to expand its services, gaining prominence in the value chain and creating a complementary business model. Specifically, Cellnex has identified a great opportunity in smart sensoring and the IoT.

In 2017, the innovation model implemented in 2016 was consolidated, based on integrating and flexible processes, as well as the standardisation of development in the innovation business, comprising two types of project:

Technological surveillance, based on an evaluation of the current technological context to identify potential new opportunities for the company.
R&D+i activities, consisting mainly of research, development and the creation of new solutions.

This model also embodies a cross-cutting approach, in which working procedures are defined for multidisciplinary teams and enhanced cooperation with the stakeholders that deal with Cellnex. Some examples of stakeholders are: technology start-ups, universities and key players from other sectors.

Notably, the innovation model, based on three pre-defined stages, is focused not only on developing new business and/or products, but also on developing incremental improvements to current services and products. In this regard, we have seen a significant increase in customer satisfaction.

This improvement is driving Cellnex to continue working in line with the target of mainstreaming innovation and working with internal and external multidisciplinary teams.

R&D+i projects

Telecommunications

5G-City

Project funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 programme that aims to evaluate 5G technologies through very specific pilot projects in three European cities: Barcelona, Bristol and Lucca. Cellnex is responsible for ensuring that the equipment and infrastructure necessary for the deployment of neutral operators in the three cities are available.

FLEXNET

European project funded by the Celtic-Plus programme and coordinated by Cellnex, which aims to develop technology for software defined networks (SDN) and Network Slicing (multiple virtual networks over a single common physical network) technology, as part of the next generation of wireless communication (5G). The project is focused on surveillance and emergencies, and will develop specific applications for border control, security of port areas and people location, among others. Led by Cellnex, it involves 16 partners from six countries, including network operators, mobile operators, equipment manufacturers and universities.

LEAN

European project funded by the Celtic-Plus programme that aims to use 5G technologies to define an architecture flexible enough to meet ultra-low cost requirements and at the same time offer broadband Internet access in rural areas of emerging countries. The 5G sharing mechanisms will have to meet the new requirements for providing minimum services over long distances. Cellnex has the role of Spanish coordinator in the consortium as well as actively participating as a main player in the on-site demonstrations.

Veo5G

Project funded by the Centre for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI) and coordinated by Cellnex with the participation of the Operate company; it aims to provide the basis for a neutral operator or infrastructure provider so that they can make their infrastructure (access network, network core, management, etc.) available to third parties, and it can create new instances of virtualised services for the devices of neutral operators. Cellnex is taking part in the design of "multi-tenancy" architecture for the access network and network core, and in the development of tools for optimising resource allocation and management.

5GON

Project funded by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government) through the Nuclis call for tenders. The project is coordinated by Cellnex and we are taking part with Nokia with the aim of developing a 5G multi-operator solution for validating services for neutral operators.

SolareRF

This project, funded by the Basque Government, aims to design, develop and validate in a virtual pilot project, a prototype RF centre isolated from or connected to the main electricity grid, that is energy efficient, with maximum security and quality of the power supply at minimum cost and environmental impact. The project also aims to design and develop the Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) calculation tool. Cellnex is responsible for defining practical cases, analysing energy storage and generation technologies and taking an active role in analysing the results for the validation of the RF station.

Smart cities and the Internet of Things

GrowSmarter

This project funded by the European Commission aims to improve the quality of life of citizens through mobility, housing and the quality of urban infrastructure in general, and hence improving citizens’ finances by cutting energy costs and creating new jobs. It also aims to reduce environmental impact by cutting energy needs by 60% and increasing the use of renewable energy, thereby reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The project aims to create a sustainable economy through wider deployment of Smart solutions.

V2X-ARCH

A project funded by the Ministry of Energy, Tourism and the Digital Agenda in the field of connected vehicles that aims to define vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) communication technologies and architectures, and assess a number of case studies such as EVW, FCW, Media Downloading and GLOSA.

SARWS

A European project funded by the Celtic-Plus programme that aims to provide real-time meteorological services to ensure that mobility and transport are more scalable, robust, safe, efficient and energy-efficient. Cellnex's main role is to analyse the most appropriate V2X technologies, together with their limitations and challenges.

Bicisendas

A project under the CIEN call for tenders by CDTI (major funded projects of strategic value). The objective is to develop the cycle lane of the future. It is coordinated by FCC and has a section on research into civil engineering and materials and another that we are coordinating on the application of ICT technologies to minimise accidents and collisions involving bicycles, which are the most vulnerable vehicles.

Resiltrack

ESKALA 4.O

A national project funded by the Basque government with the aim of minimising stopover times in the airport environment. Cellnex is in charge of coordinating the whole telecommunications part in the airport, including IoT, communication networks and connected vehicles.

Security and emergencies

Polarys (a smart platform for maritime safety and emergency management)

A project funded by the CDTI (Centre for Industrial Technological Development) with the main aim of developing a novel VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) transceiver and associated systems. Cellnex is taking part in the development of a maritime emergency and safety platform that can be adapted to another emergency scenario, and in obtaining global coverage with the Automatic Identification System (AIS) using satellite communications to improve maritime communications.

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