EKINOPS FRANCE

Their core work

Ekinops France (formerly OneAccess) is a French telecommunications equipment manufacturer specializing in network access devices, optical transport, and software-defined networking solutions for telecom operators and enterprises. Within EU research projects, they contribute network equipment expertise and system integration capabilities for advanced 5G and satellite-terrestrial convergence architectures. Their role centers on providing and validating real networking hardware and software within experimental testbeds, bridging the gap between lab research and commercial telecom deployment.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Ekinops' early H2020 work (2015–2017) centered on hybrid satellite-terrestrial network architectures, reflecting their core business in telecom access equipment and optical transport. From 2018 onward, their focus shifted toward 5G end-to-end network experimentation, system integration at scale, and secure virtualized computing environments. This progression shows a clear move from connectivity hardware toward software-defined, virtualized, and security-aware network infrastructure.

Ekinops is moving from traditional network hardware toward software-defined 5G infrastructure and secure edge/cloud computing, signaling readiness for post-5G and trusted network projects.

How they like to work

Ekinops consistently participates as a partner rather than leading consortia, which is typical for an equipment vendor contributing specific technology components to larger research efforts. With 66 unique partners across 19 countries in just 4 projects, they operate in large, diverse consortia — often 15+ members — indicating comfort with complex multi-partner coordination. Their role as a reliable technology contributor makes them a low-risk, high-value addition to telecom-focused consortia.

Across 4 projects, Ekinops has collaborated with 66 unique partners in 19 countries, reflecting their presence in major pan-European telecom research consortia. Their network spans Western and Southern Europe extensively, with connections to satellite operators, telecom research labs, and network equipment vendors.

What sets them apart

Ekinops brings commercial-grade telecom equipment and real-world operator experience into research consortia — they are not just a research partner but a company that ships production network hardware. Their dual expertise in both satellite backhauling and terrestrial 5G access makes them unusually well-positioned for projects requiring hybrid connectivity solutions. For consortium builders, they offer a credible path from prototype to commercial deployment that pure research partners cannot.

Highlights from their portfolio

• VITAL
  Their highest-funded project (EUR 483K), pioneering virtualized satellite-terrestrial network integration — a topic that became central to 5G non-terrestrial network standards.
• 5GENESIS
  Part of one of Europe's flagship 5G experimentation platforms, validating end-to-end 5G performance across multiple testbed sites.
• SaT5G
  Directly addressed satellite integration into 5G architecture, a strategic area now formalized in 3GPP Release 17 standards.