RANPLAN WIRELESS NETWORK DESIGN LTD

Their core work

Ranplan is a Cambridge-based SME specializing in wireless network planning and optimization software, with particular depth in indoor radio propagation modelling and dense small-cell network design. Their tools help mobile operators and building owners plan 5G deployments, optimize radio access networks, and predict signal behavior in complex indoor and urban environments. More recently, they have expanded into connected vehicle communications (V2X) and big data analytics for network management, positioning themselves at the intersection of wireless infrastructure planning and intelligent transport systems.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015–2018), Ranplan focused squarely on traditional wireless network infrastructure: dense small-cell deployment, heterogeneous network optimization, 3D MIMO antenna modelling, and indoor propagation — the core of their commercial software business. From 2018 onward, their focus shifted noticeably toward data-driven and AI-powered approaches (big data analytics for radio access networks, machine learning for channel prediction) and into new application domains like connected vehicles and V2X communications. This evolution mirrors the broader industry shift from planning static networks to managing dynamic, intelligent 5G/6G systems.

Ranplan is moving from deterministic network planning tools toward machine learning-powered prediction and analytics for next-generation (5G/6G) and vehicular wireless systems — expect them to seek partners in AI, autonomous mobility, and smart city infrastructure.

How they like to work

Ranplan shows a balanced collaboration profile: they coordinated 3 of their 8 projects (38%), all in the later period (2019–2020), suggesting growing confidence and leadership ambition as they matured in the H2020 ecosystem. Their earlier projects were all as participant in MSCA mobility schemes (RISE, ITN), which typically involve academic-industry knowledge exchange — indicating they value researcher secondments and training partnerships. With 30 unique partners across 11 countries, they maintain a broad but not sprawling network, consistent with an SME that brings specific technical value rather than acting as a project management hub.

Ranplan has collaborated with 30 distinct partners across 11 countries, primarily through MSCA mobility and training networks. Their Cambridge base and MSCA focus suggest strong ties to European universities and research institutes in wireless communications.

What sets them apart

Ranplan occupies a rare niche as an SME that bridges academic wireless propagation research and commercial network planning software. Unlike university labs that publish models or large vendors that sell equipment, Ranplan turns propagation research directly into planning tools — making them an ideal industry partner for MSCA projects needing a commercial exploitation pathway. Their progression from participant to coordinator also signals a maturing organization that can now lead project delivery, not just contribute technical expertise.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BANYAN
  Their largest project (EUR 539K) and first as coordinator — applying big data analytics to 5G radio access networks, marking their strategic pivot toward AI-driven network management.
• mmChannel
  Coordinated project explicitly targeting both 5G and 6G millimetre wave channel modelling with machine learning — their most forward-looking research investment.
• COSAFE
  Their entry into connected vehicles and road safety (V2X, ADAS, cooperative sensing) — a significant diversification beyond pure network planning into intelligent transport.