CHARISMA · Project

Ultra-Fast 5G Network Architecture With Built-In Security for Telecom and Enterprise

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Imagine your mobile network as a highway — today's roads are congested and slow, and every car has to drive all the way downtown even if it just needs the local shop. CHARISMA built a smarter highway system where data takes the shortest route to reach you, with security checkpoints built right into the road instead of bolted on afterwards. The result is internet connections that respond in under a millisecond and can handle a thousand times more traffic, while using twenty times less energy. They combined wireless and fiber-optic technologies into one unified cloud-based network that telecom operators can deploy without ripping out existing infrastructure.

By the numbers

<1ms

Target network latency

1000-fold

Increase in mobile data volume capacity

10-100x

More connected devices supported

x20

Energy efficiency improvement targeted

EUR 5,892,245

EU funding received

100G

Fixed optical (OFDM-PON) speed

10G

Wireless access speed (mm-wave/60-GHz)

Consortium partners across 9 countries

The business problem

What needed solving

Telecom operators and enterprises face a growing crisis: mobile data volumes are exploding, latency-sensitive applications like remote surgery and autonomous driving demand sub-millisecond response times, and energy costs for running networks keep climbing. Current network architectures force all traffic through centralized hubs, creating bottlenecks, security vulnerabilities, and wasted energy — problems that get worse as the number of connected devices grows by orders of magnitude.

The solution

What was built

The team built a final 5G virtualized security prototype (D3.5) consisting of a dynamic orchestrator, virtualized security functions, and a content caching and traffic handling solution. Across 23 deliverables, they developed a cloud radio-access-network platform combining 10G wireless and 100G fiber-optic access with intelligent routing and physical-layer security.

Audience

Who needs this

Mobile network operators investing in 5G infrastructureEnterprise network security vendors looking for embedded 5G security solutionsHospital networks and telemedicine platforms requiring ultra-low-latency connectionsSmart city infrastructure providers managing large-scale IoT deploymentsContent delivery network operators seeking edge caching solutions

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Telecommunications

enterprise

Target: Mobile network operators and broadband providers

If you are a telecom operator struggling with network congestion and rising energy costs — this project developed a cloud-based radio access network architecture that targets 1000-fold increased data capacity with latency under 1ms. The system uses intelligent routing to offload traffic at the nearest point, cutting backhaul costs. With x20 energy efficiency improvement targeted, this directly reduces your operational expenditure on power.

Healthcare / Telemedicine

enterprise

Target: Hospital networks and remote surgery platform providers

If you are a healthcare provider exploring remote surgery or real-time diagnostics — this project built a 5G network layer delivering sub-1ms latency, which is critical for surgical teleoperation where even small delays can be dangerous. The built-in virtualized security protects patient data at the physical network layer. The architecture was specifically designed for scenarios like surgery, as indicated by the project's research scope.

Smart Cities / IoT Infrastructure

enterprise

Target: City councils and IoT platform operators managing connected devices

If you are managing thousands of connected sensors and devices across a city — this project developed an architecture designed to handle 10-100 times more connected devices than current networks. The intelligent caching and local data processing means your sensors can communicate locally without overloading central infrastructure. The IPv6 Trust Node routing adds security at the network level, protecting critical infrastructure data.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement this 5G architecture?

The project received EUR 5,892,245 in EU funding across 14 partners to develop this architecture. Deployment costs for a telecom operator would depend on existing infrastructure, but the design uses low-cost Ethernet across front- and backhaul, which was a deliberate choice to reduce capital expenditure compared to proprietary solutions.

Can this scale to a national network?

The architecture was designed for scale — targeting 1000-fold increased mobile data volume and 10-100 times more connected devices. The cloud-based radio access network approach means capacity can be added through software rather than only through hardware. However, the project delivered prototypes, not commercial-grade deployments.

What about intellectual property and licensing?

The consortium includes 10 industry partners and 5 SMEs across 9 countries. IP from an EU-funded RIA project is typically owned by the partners who generated it. Licensing arrangements would need to be negotiated with individual consortium members — likely the technology developers behind the 5G v-security prototype and the optical networking components.

Is this compatible with existing telecom infrastructure?

The design specifically uses low-cost Ethernet across front- and backhaul networks and end-user equipment, which means it builds on existing networking standards rather than requiring proprietary hardware. The 100G fixed optical and 10G wireless components connect through a unified cloud-RAN platform designed for integration with current operator infrastructure.

What's the timeline from prototype to deployment?

The project ran from 2015 to 2017 and delivered a final 5G v-security prototype (D3.5) with 23 total deliverables. Since this predates commercial 5G rollouts, some concepts have likely been absorbed into broader 5G standards. Companies interested in specific components like the virtualized security or caching solutions should contact the consortium partners directly.

Does this meet telecom regulatory requirements?

The project was fully aligned with the EU 5G-PPP (5G Public-Private Partnership) principles and KPIs. The built-in physical layer security and IPv6 Trust Node routing address security requirements at the architecture level. Specific regulatory compliance for deployment would depend on the target market.

Consortium

Who built it

The CHARISMA consortium is heavily industry-driven: 10 out of 14 partners (71%) come from industry, with 5 of those being SMEs — an unusually high commercial ratio for an EU research project. The remaining partners include 1 university and 3 research organizations, spread across 9 countries (DE, EL, ES, FR, IL, LU, PT, SI, UK). This composition signals that the technology was developed with commercial deployment in mind from the start. The coordinator, i2CAT in Spain, is a digital innovation foundation that bridges research and industry. For a business buyer, this means the consortium likely has partners ready to discuss licensing, integration, or further development rather than only academic interest.

FUNDACIO PRIVADA I2CAT, INTERNET I INNOVACIO DIGITAL A CATALUNYACoordinator · ES
INCITES CONSULTING SAparticipant · LU
TELEKOM SLOVENIJE DDparticipant · SI
INTRACOM SINGLE MEMBER SA TELECOM SOLUTIONSparticipant · EL
COSMOTE KINITES TILEPIKOINONIES MONOPROSOPI AEparticipant · EL
INNOROUTE GMBHparticipant · DE
ALTICE LABS SAparticipant · PT
SODIRA CONNECTparticipant · FR
UNIVERSITY OF ESSEXparticipant · UK
NATIONAL CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH "DEMOKRITOS"participant · EL
ERICSSON ESPANA SAparticipant · ES

How to reach the team

Coordinator is FUNDACIO PRIVADA I2CAT in Barcelona, Spain — a digital innovation foundation. SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the project team.

Order a report on this consortium See FUNDACIO PRIVADA I2CAT, INTERNET I INNOVACIO DIGITAL A CATALUNYA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how CHARISMA's 5G security and low-latency architecture could fit your network? SciTransfer connects you directly with the research team — contact us for a one-page technology brief and introduction.

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