Liverpool City Region HDD project trials Open RAN technology at Comic Con event

The Liverpool City Region High Demand Density (Liverpool City Region HDD) project has conducted its second trial of new Open RAN HDD private network at the Comic Con event which took place at the ACC Liverpool campus earlier this month.

The Liverpool LCR HDD project

Supported by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the Liverpool City Region HDD consortium is an innovative digital infrastructure project which is seeing if Open RAN technology can improve digital connectivity in high density settings.

Following on from the successful initial trial of this pioneering technology at the Salt and Tar Music Festival in August, the consortium undertook a second trial at the Comic Con Liverpool event which took place at the ACC Liverpool campus from Saturday, November 9 to Sunday, November 10.

Latest trial

The trial set out to test how the new Open RAN HDD 5G network works in an indoor space with a high number of users in the same environment.

A Telepresence Robot, which was dressed as `Sheldon’ from the Big Bang Theory, was used to see if it could provide a reliable network to test mobility across different radios. 

Guests who were not able to attend the event through a range of disabilities were invited to remotely control `Sheldon’ from their home and were able to explore the arena and experience the event through interaction with the cosplayers.

The trial also tested the resilience of the 5G Stand Alone Open RAN network in a real-world HDD setting.

Richard Solly, from Robotics for Good, said: “I hope that we can get great 5G at these kind of events in the future because it would be great to allow people to attend them who can't get there as an Accessibility & inclusivity option. The 5G network in the M&S bank Arena provided the best video and audio links live streaming we have ever had.”

Professor Joe Spencer, from the University of Liverpool’s Department of Electrical Engineering & Electronics, who is leading the Liverpool City Region HDD project, said: “This is the project’s second trial in a real-life environment. With each trial we are testing different components of the technology and generating more knowledge and data how it performs against current and traditional technology solutions. I’d like to thank all our project partners and Liverpool ACC for their support.”

Ben Williams, from the ACC Liverpool Group, said: “As one of the major venues in the region, we were delighted to facilitate case studies for the Liverpool City Region High Density Demand project. This initiative perfectly aligns with our commitment to contribute to advancements that can benefit our industry and our community, as part of our company strategy Tech For Good. With our large audiences and high-density network demand, we saw this as an ideal opportunity to further enhance the visitor experience at our venues.  We’ve gained invaluable insights into how this technology can drive our digital strategy forward in an increasingly connected world. Connectivity is directly linked to visitor engagement and enjoyment, and we’re committed to delivering exceptional service in every way possible.

“Liverpool Comic Con, our busiest consumer event this year, presented the ideal platform to showcase the potential of a Stand Alone Private Open RAN 5G network. The telepresence call feature, delivered by Robotics For Good, allowed us to reach new audiences in a more inclusive way, putting us at the forefront of technology in our industry.”

Project partners

The Liverpool City Region HDD consortium is led by the University of Liverpool in collaboration with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) and ITS Technology Group.

Partners include Liverpool John Moores University, Aro, CGA Simulation, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Hartree Centre, Attocore, Weaver Labs, Telet, Radisys and Qualcomm.

Next trial

Further trials of the technology will take place at two further events in the region.

The Liverpool High Demand Density (Liverpool City Region HDD) is supported with £9 million investment by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

It was funded through DSIT’s Open Networks Ecosystem (ONE) competition which aims to demonstrate the feasibility and reliability of technology.