5G and wireless connectivity
Society’s thirst for connectivity and the demand for new 5G devices presents a constant challenge to deliver better performance and bandwidth – while reducing the latency, operational costs and carbon emissions of networks.
We’re working to accelerate the optimisation of network performance and predictive maintenance, in turn helping service providers reduce both capital and operating costs. We help clients apply 5G in exacting environments, applying expertise in everything from advanced private cellular networks to high-performance, smart connected devices.
What we do
CC has a one of the world’s largest independent wireless development teams and a record of world-first wireless technology breakthroughs. Our innovation consultancy experts are actively accelerating energy-efficient connectivity solutions that reduce the carbon footprint of networks and devices.
Expertise is broad, covering critical challenges and opportunities such as regulatory changes, millimetre wave (mmW) spectrum release to boost bandwidth, quantum key distribution (QKD) for network security and AI-enabled network traffic management. We are also working a range of further solutions, including the delivery of better location accuracy for emergency services and improved control and safety for uncrewed aircraft systems.
Digital beamforming
This is at the heart of CC’s expertise, with our consultancy teams actively shaping its applications and outcomes. Antenna rays are dynamically adjusted to maximise signal quality, range and efficiency – and these capabilities are tailored to specific industry needs.
Whether enhancing IoT connectivity for more efficient supply chains, enabling real-time data exchange in autonomous vehicles, or improving manufacturing processes with precise wireless control, digital beamforming can reshape how industries connect and communicate.
Examples of our innovation include the world’s largest commercial airborne antenna to provide 5G from the stratosphere, and developing a breakthrough in transparent phased array 5G antennas.
Next-generation physical layer
The next-generation physical layer (PHY) is one of the most transformative forces in global connectivity, encompassing technologies like 5G, 6G, Bluetooth High Data Throughput (HDT) and satellite communications.
In combination with quantum computing and edge AI, PHY will revolutionise data processing, enabling real-time decision-making, seamless connectivity and faster responses across diverse industries. This will herald an era of ubiquitous augmented reality, autonomous systems and AI-powered services – redefining how we communicate, learn, work and play.
Rather than passively watching, CC is architecting a smarter, more connected future founded on PHY and backed by our deep expertise in protocol stack enhancements. Examples include developing a revolutionary PHY layer technology solution for high-performance regenerative satellite networks.
Millimetre wave
Millimetre wave (mmW) enables gigabit-per-second data rates, making it ideal for applications like high-definition video streaming, augmented reality, autonomous vehicles, backhaul and more. Its short-range but high-capacity nature is perfect for localised, high-speed data exchange. mmW also plays a crucial role in satcoms, allowing more efficient data transmission. But implementing it comes with challenges such as signal propagation limitations and hardware complexities.
We address these challenges through expertise in signal processing, antenna design and system integration. Our innovative solutions to optimise signal range and quality while managing hardware intricacies.
In-body and wearable connectivity
Leveraging our capabilities in signal processing and radio systems, we develop low-power, secure and reliable wireless protocols for implants and wearables. This can enable data transmission, monitoring and control without the need for wired connections or external devices such as pacemakers, insulin pumps, neurological stimulators or even smartphones.
This is supported by capabilities in power transfer and power-efficient designs to reduce the need for physical connections, supporting areas such as remote patient monitoring, while our work in bioelectronics and neuro-prosthetics can restore or enhance bodily functions.
How we can help you
Advisory services
Our technical and commercial insight – plus broad market experience – will help you understand the impact of technology on users, business cases and regulation as well as informing corporate, technology and operations strategies.
As we are not tied to any technology, standard, vendor or operator, we provide a truly impartial prospective on technology and the commercial situation.
High-performance wireless
We design, simulate, build and test custom wireless systems to deliver communications that exceed global standards. From the PHY to the application layer, we develop resilient, intelligent and autonomous connectivity across terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks.
Complementary capabilities in AI enable us to deliver AI native solutions for the some of the most challenging domains, such as digital beamforming and other layer one functions.
Intelligent devices
Our unrivalled understanding of the complex trade-offs between size, power cost and performance enable us to create connected devices across diverse and often heavily regulated markets. Supported by expertise in AI and advanced computing, we can create devices that sense the world around them, enabling novel applications and transformative business value.
Featured insights
Our expertise
CC’s experience covers virtually every aspect of radio and communications development. With expertise in radio frequency (RF) engineering and electromagnetic capability (EMC) we develop high-performing radio systems such as simultaneous cellular (3G/4G), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Functionality and performance is applied where it is most cost effective – in the antenna, the radio electronics, a custom ASIC or the digital signal processing software.
We provide complete antenna simulation, design and testing in high-performance electromagnetic chambers. Our expertise in the interaction between electromagnetic waves and human tissue, makes us uniquely able to accurately predict the impact of the human body on antenna performance.
We have the world’s largest independent wireless development team. It spans radio frequency, communications protocol, digital signal processing, power-optimised analogue and digital electronic design, embedded software, user experience and mechanical design.
Our consultancy expertise has led to the creation and development of several major wireless technologies and delivered a steady stream of disruptive breakthroughs. They include RF and satellite telecommunications to the world’s first wireless pacemaker and the ground-to-air radio system that controls more than 50% of the world’s air traffic.
Devices containing wireless connectivity, audio, video, measurement sensors or automatic control require digital signal processing (DSP). We combine extensive knowledge of this with software development and software/hardware integration experience to create next-generation devices.
We are pioneering highly integrated, application-specific programmable processors, enabling the adoption of software-defined radio in wireless, cellular and satellite networks. We’re using low-power MEMS sensor in innovative location, tracking and medical applications.
We research and design signal algorithms using the industry standard tools provided in MathWorks MATLAB. Many of the applications we work on involve significant power constraints, adding another dimension to algorithm and processing hardware design. By applying signal conditioning we can enhance audio and improve signal quality.
CC has a deep understanding of AI and its applications. Our expertise spans Bayesian inference, real-time signal processing and data analysis and is combined with extensive technical skills in areas such as predictive analytics, deep learning, edge AI and empathetic AI.
Our consultants are pushing the boundaries of the human-machine interface to develop edge AI use cases, generative AI models, new supervised machine learning models and types of data analytics.
Our work is unlocking new frontiers in areas such as uncrewed aerial vehicles, synthetic biology, remote monitoring systems, telecoms and beyond.
Markets and technologies evolve rapidly and unpredictably. We help identify opportunities to ‘build, borrow or buy’ new technologies in anticipation of market requirements.
Business transformation is typically driven by a combination of internal, industry related, and external factors, often rooted in technology. Technology-driven disruption is nothing new, but the speed of change is unprecedented.
Because our technology consultants include engineers and scientists with deep technical insight, CC can identify golden opportunities and recommend an innovation portfolio or technology roadmap. As well as the technology, we ensure that the business model, market offerings and operations are all set up for success.
Our facilities
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Anechoic test chamberOur custom anechoic radio and antenna test chamber is a highly sophisticated 5m cube. Inside, we carry out automated 3D measurements and visualisation of wireless device behaviour and test body-worn technology using body phantoms or real live test subjects to optimise real-word RF performance of products such as smart implants (including implanted telemetry), connected drug delivery devices and wearables. Our anechoic test chamber is available as a standalone service for industry and academic research. Explore the facility and find out how you can access this state-of-the-art service. |
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O-RAN test bedThe open radio access network (O-RAN) testbed is a complete 5G private network, from internet to user equipment. This cloud-based network implements a disaggregated radio access network (RAN), using an O-RAN architecture, integrated with a 5G core. Through the network, we can simulate performance of virtual or physical network technologies, providing a deep understanding of the complex interactions with O-RAN networks and helping our clients develop high performance solutions. |
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EMC test chamberOur fully shielded ETS-Lindgren anechoic test chamber is suitable for a wide range of EMC and RF testing, which is essential for new devices. It allows our consultants to test for unwanted radiation and susceptibility to interference at an early stage. Results can then be fed directly into product design, rather than later on when changes are expensive to implement. |
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AI infrastructureCC’s comprehensive onsite compute infrastructure allows us to explore options and train and test models more rapidly to get better results. We run petaflop-scale, containerised compute on site, with multiple NVIDIA DGX-1 deep learning supercomputers and other GPU and FPGA-accelerated servers. This links to petabyte-scale local NetApp storage, project-specific cloud and our continuous integration systems. |
Our experts
Martin Brock
Chief Technology Officer
Stephane Remy
Commercial Director, Connectivity
Alexandra Rehak
Head of Energy and Utilities
