The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) recently hosted South Africa's inaugural OpenAirInterface (OAI) workshop, a three-day event focused on hands-on fifth generation (5G) mobile network technology training. This initiative aimed to address skills shortages, provide specialised training and expand the pool of qualified professionals in 5G mobile technology.

5G technology, known for its enhanced speed, reduced latency, increased capacity and improved functionality, is expected to revolutionise industries like manufacturing through internet of things connectivity, smart cities and industrial automation. With mobile networks covering nearly all of South Africa, the potential to further advance the country's technological capabilities is significant.

Recognising the need for skills and training, the CSIR and OAI organised this landmark workshop from Tuesday, 2 July to Thursday, 4 July 2024, the first of its kind in Africa. The event facilitated skills development and cooperation among academia; industry; regulators and small, medium and micro enterprises. It was sponsored by the International Federation for Information Processing Technical Committee Six, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Africa Council, the IEEE South Africa Signal Processing and Communications Joint Chapter and the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers.

The CSIR has been active in research projects to improve radio access and address the digital divide using dynamic spectrum access and television white space technologies. Dr Moshe Masonta and Dr Habishi Kobi from the CSIR NextGen Enterprises and Institutions cluster, leaders of the research groups focusing on 5G, elaborated, “Our portfolio of 5G mobile network projects focusses on creating affordable and manageable mobile networks through open radio access networks, software-defined networking and network functions virtualisation.”

An international cohort of attendees benefited from practical training with OAI software codes, gaining insights and solutions to real-world challenges. CSIR principal researcher Prof. Albert Lysko added, “The open-source approach enables the development of local 5G value chain while encouraging further research and innovation in the 5G arena.”

The attendees expressed their plans to immediately apply the knowledge they gained, aiming “to demystify the operations of 5G technologies and understand the current landscape of mobile technologies in our country.” The workshop provided valuable insights not obtainable elsewhere and has set the stage for future innovations and international collaboration.