Digital Infrastructure

ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE OF DIGITALIZATION

Our world is becoming increasingly connected in a digital network. This changes our everyday lives, our work environment, and our interaction of people. Saxony drives and actively shapes the digital change – in the private sector, in the business community, and in public administration.

BROADBAND AVAILABILITY IN SAXONY

At the end of 2014, high performance broadband connections with ≥ 30 Mbit/s were available in 57.6 % of all households in Saxony. DSL and cable network (CATV) technologies made a vital contribution towards realizing this high supply rate.

It becomes apparent particularly in the large urban districts Dresden and Leipzig that an NGA (next generation access) expansion has taken place primarily in metropolitan areas. For example, the supply rate with ≥ 30 Mbit/s broadband connections amounts to approx. 93 % in Leipzig and approx. 90 % in Dresden.

Broadband availability in Saxony in the ≥ 50 Mbit range amounts to 46.6 percent.

DIGITAL INITIATIVE SAXONY (DIOS)

The Digital Initiative Saxony (DiOS) creates the foundation for a state of the art digital supply in the Federal State. The support program pursues the objective of accelerating the expansion of broadband internet connections with data rates of more than 50 Mbit/s (megabits per second) and, thus, making a vital contribution towards safeguarding and further advancing the business, technology, and tourism venue Saxony. This fundamentally distinguishes DiOS from previous broadband support programs in Saxony and other federal states. Former programs were generally geared towards ensuring a basic supply. The promotion of broadband infrastructures is associated with the installation of WiFi hotspots for the first time ever at relevant tourist locations.

SME 4.0 – DIGITAL PRODUCTION AND WORK PROCESSES

Within the scope of the funding initiative “Mittelstand 4.0 – Digitale Produktions- und Arbeitsprozesse” [SME 4.0 – Digital Production and Work Processes] launched by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), a total of 10 competence centers for the digitalization of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) will be built in Germany. The centers are to offer hands on digitalization to SMEs.

One of these competence centers is being established in Chemnitz. It is here where a consortium headed by Chemnitz University of Technology’s Institute of Industrial Management and Factory Systems (IBF) had applied with the “Digital produzieren in Sachsens Mittelstand” [Producing Digitally in Saxony’s SMEs] project for financial support provided by the BMWi within the scope of the funding initiative “Mittelstand 4.0 – Digitale Produktions- und Arbeitsprozesse” [SME 4.0 – Digital Production and Work Processes]. The competence center is to provide these companies with the opportunity of testing their own technical developments as well as interfaces to products and/or customers on site under professional guidance. In addition, the companies are given expert advice on new digital applications, issues revolving around the costs, and safety aspects associated with the introduction of Industry 4.0 technologies.

The Chemnitz-based IBF institute as well as the Chemnitz Chamber of Industry and Commerce also participate in the optimization of business and production processes within the scope of the “Mittelstand 4.0 Agentur Prozesse” [SME 4.0 Agency Processes] platform.

And the “Kompetenzzentrum Digitales Handwerk, Schaufenster Ost” [Competence Center Digital Crafts, Showcase East Germany] is an initiative of the Dresden Chamber of Crafts. Here, the “expansion of services for IT supported business models” is in the foreground.

"Tomahawk 2"-Mikrochip, entwickelt vom Vodafone Chair Mobile Communications Systems an der Technischen Universität Dresden

Source: Saxony Economic Development Corporation (WFS) / photo: Jürgen Lösel

SAXONY IS LEADING THE WAY TOWARDS 5G

  • Vodafone and the TU Dresden: World Record in Data Transmission

The Vodafone Endowment Chair Mobile Communications Systems at Dresden University of Technology (TU Dresden) is the leading research institute for the mobile communication of tomorrow. Together with Vodafone, the Chair already developed the LTE successor “LTE Advanced.” The first transmitters were activated in 2013. Thanks to this cooperation, it was also possible to establish a new world record (10.2 Gbit/s) in mobile data transmission outside a lab setting in 2015. In order to develop 5G even further, the Chair founded the “5G Lab Germany” in 2014 where more than 500 scientists conduct research together.

  • “Tomahawk” Zeros in on 5G

That sounds more violent than it actually is. “Tomahawk” is an ultra efficient microchip which represents the next decisive step on the way towards mobile communication of the 5th generation (5G). The Dresden researchers at the TU Dresden’s Vodafone Chair who developed the chip are global leaders when it comes to further advancing mobile message systems. In addition to Vodafone, the industrial partners of the research team include such other global players as the Deutsche Telekom, National Instruments, Nokia, or Huawei corporations.

  • Test Track for the Future of Mobile Communication

The fastest of the about 24,000 base stations with which Vodafone operates its mobile communication network in Germany stands in Dresden: It already supports the future standard “5G” (= “5th generation”) and transmits data at speeds of more than 10 gigabits per second (Gbs). The base station is part of a test track that was built within the scope of the “5G Lab Germany” at the TU Dresden.

  • Deutsche Telekom Focuses on 5G Research in Saxony

Saxony’s voice along the path towards a global communication standard 5G is getting even louder. Since early 2016, the Deutsche Telekom corporation has not only been the new industrial partner of the “5G Lab Germany;” with immediate effect, it also finances the already existing Chair Mobile Communications Systems at Dresden University of Technology.

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