B-COM

Their core work

B-COM is a French technology research institute specializing in advanced telecommunications, particularly 5G/6G network architectures, network slicing, and immersive media technologies. They develop solutions for mobile transport networks, distributed network management, and extended reality (AR/VR) platforms. Their work bridges the gap between telecom infrastructure R&D and real-world vertical applications in sectors like tourism, e-health, media, and Industry 4.0. Based near Rennes in Brittany, they operate as a compact research centre contributing deep technical expertise to large European consortia.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

B-COM's early H2020 work (2015-2018) spanned broadcast media innovation (ORPHEUS, object-based audio), 5G security (5G-ENSURE), and foundational telecom platform R&D (NGPaaS, ONE5G). From 2019 onward, their focus sharpened decisively toward 5G network slicing for vertical industries, distributed network management with AI/ML automation (MonB5G), and immersive technologies like AR clouds (ARtwin) and XR (XR4ALL). Their trajectory culminated in Hexa-X, the EU's flagship 6G vision project, signaling a clear move from 5G implementation into next-generation 6G research.

B-COM is moving from 5G deployment research into 6G architectural design and AI-driven autonomous network management — expect them in upcoming 6G and smart network calls.

How they like to work

B-COM operates exclusively as a participant, never having coordinated any of their 15 H2020 projects. This is a deliberate choice — they bring focused technical expertise to large, well-funded consortia rather than taking on coordination overhead. With 179 unique partners across 26 countries, they are a highly networked organization comfortable integrating into diverse teams. Their consistent presence in flagship projects (Hexa-X, 5G EVE, 5G-TOURS) suggests they are a trusted technical partner that consortia actively seek out.

B-COM has built an extensive European network of 179 unique consortium partners spanning 26 countries. Their partnerships are concentrated in the Western European telecom and ICT research ecosystem, with strong connections to major 5G/6G research players across the continent.

What sets them apart

B-COM sits at the intersection of telecom infrastructure and applied vertical solutions — they don't just research network protocols, they connect 5G/6G capabilities to real use cases in tourism, healthcare, media, and manufacturing. Their dual expertise in both network-layer technologies (slicing, orchestration, transport) and application-layer systems (AR/VR, broadcast, digital twins) makes them a rare bridge between telecom operators and industry verticals. For consortium builders, they bring proven reliability across 15 projects without the coordination overhead — a plug-and-play technical partner for 5G/6G proposals.

Highlights from their portfolio

• Hexa-X
  EU flagship project defining the 6G vision — places B-COM at the forefront of next-generation wireless research alongside Europe's top telecom players.
• 5G-TOURS
  Largest single EC contribution to B-COM (EUR 945,720), demonstrating 5G network slicing across three real-world verticals: tourism, e-health, and media.
• MonB5G
  Focused on AI-driven zero-touch network management for beyond-5G — represents B-COM's push into autonomous, ML-based network operations.