Future Communications Translation Lab

Future Communications Translation Lab (FCTLab) at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) was established to facilitate the innovation and technology translation of 5G and other future communication technologies.

Overview

Since its establishment in 2021, the FCTLab has actively sought partnerships in 5G test bedding, translation research in 5G connectivity, 5G application prototyping, and security.

FCTLab operates multiple 5G testbeds at the SIT Punggol Digital District campus, supporting a range of network architectures including traditional, Open RAN, and software-defined implementations. These diverse platforms provide a flexible and secure environment for customising, testing, and validating advanced 5G solutions.

Accessing a dedicated 5G testbed at FCTLab allows users to customise solutions freely, breaking the reliance on predefined telco configurations. FCTLab supports end-to-end experimentation and translational research, it facilitates on-site edge computing resources for low-latency processing, network slicing to isolate and tailor network behaviour for specific applications, and ubiquitous network access. The Open RAN testbed includes a Service Management and Orchestration (SMO), and a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC), providing a flexible and programmable platform for advanced RAN optimisation and AI-driven network orchestration research.

FCTLab provides a range of services, including testbed-as-a-service, modelling and simulation, use-case development and prototyping. The live network infrastructure at SIT Punggol campus provides a collaborative platform for industry and researchers to exchange ideas, share best practices, and co-create innovative solutions.

Our Aims

The FCTLab is set up to accelerate research on use cases and strengthen translational capabilities to ensure that we maximise the potential of future communications technologies.

To build modelling and simulation platforms, open 5G standalone testbed, with test and measurement capabilities.

To strengthen demand-led research and innovation with the aim of co-creation and commercialisation of IP.

To facilitate and enable open innovation, learning, testing and validating of 5G technologies and use cases, solve pain points from industry and agencies in their 5G deployment for use cases.

To strengthen capability transfer from RIs/IHLs and/or MNCs to locally based companies.

What We Do

We invite companies to conduct 5G translation projects, with Technology Readiness Level (TRL) from 4 to 7, using our testbeds. This can involve testing of new technologies, evaluating network performance, and exploring innovative 5G use cases specific to your industry. FCTLab provides access to physical and virtual 5G network infrastructure, including base stations, core network components, and associated network functions. Users can experiment with different network configurations, protocols, and services.

Companies can leverage our testbeds for:

· Proof-of-concept

· Showcase the capabilities of 5G technology through live demonstrations

· End-to-end validation for products and services before commercialisation

We invite companies to experience the benefits of 5G and explore how it can transform your business processes and operations with us.

The testbeds offer network-slicing services allowing users to create and manage virtual network slices with specific characteristics and requirements. This facilitates the testing and evaluation of network slicing concepts, service isolation, and resource management. Virtualised network slices can be created and tailored to different industry requirements.

Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) enables the deployment of applications and services at the network edge, closer to end-users, reducing network congestion and enabling faster response time for critical applications. AI and machine learning models can also be hosted in the MEC. This supports applications like predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, and intelligent decision-making in edge environments.

Our Services

5G Coverage Areas

The 5G Standalone (SA) testbeds at the SIT Punggol Digital District (PDD) campus operate on the n78 band and provide dedicated indoor coverage across Level 3 of E2 building. Partners and researchers can make use of the indoor playground and project rooms, a controlled and restricted environment for safe testing and experimentation of 5G-enabled products and services. Please refer to the map below for more information.

FCTLab @ E2 Building, Level 3
Frequency Range: FR1, 3400MHz-3450MHz (50MHz Bandwidth)

Get In Touch

Is your product or solution ready? Bring your 5G use cases and test them in FCTLab.
To learn more about our service offerings, please email us. We will respond as soon as we can.

Email Us