The Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) is advancing Europe’s connectivity ambitions through its Trials and Pilots (T&Ps), a key instrument under Horizon Europe. These initiatives are designed to validate advanced and Beyond 5G (B5G) and pre-6G technologies in real operational environments, with a strong focus on strategic vertical sectors that are critical to Europe’s digital and green transitions. By concentrating efforts on a limited number of verticals per project, the SNS JU ensures greater depth of validation, measurable performance outcomes, and clearer pathways towards market adoption and standardisation.

To date, the SNS JU has funded 80 projects in total since 2022, through its first three Calls for Action, while an additional 20 projects are expected to start shortly, funded under SNS Calls 4 and 5. SNS JU enters its final phase in 2026 and will conclude its operations through the funding of an additional number of projects through Call 6 (2026) and Call 7 (2027), with an additional total funding of more than €250 million. As the programme matures, so do the projects, delivering more advanced and mature Trials & Pilots, bringing cutting-edge 5G and 5G-Advanced enabled technologies and solutions closer to real-world implementation. This progress further highlights the importance of the T&P Brochure as a snapshot of the experimentation efforts of the SNS JU projects, tracking year-on-year progress and developments.

The portfolio of SNS JU projects is organised into specific Streams and Strands, including Stream A, “Smart communication components, systems and networks for 5G mid-term Evolution systems” – included only in Call 1 – Stream B, “Research for revolutionary technology advancement towards 6G” / “6G Enabling Technologies”, Stream C, “SNS experimental infrastructures”, Stream D, “Large-Scale SNS Trials and Pilots”, and Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs). The T&P Brochure, naturally, focuses on SNS JU Stream D projects as their core focal point was large-scale experimentation, even including Open Calls to extend and complement their vertical use cases, without however excluding mature experimental efforts from other streams.

The first edition of the SNS JU Trials and Pilots Brochure was released at an early stage, in May 2025, and featured a total of eight selected T&Ps. It built on the highly successful experience of the EC H2020 5G Infrastructure Public Private Partnership (PPP), which produced a series of five impactful T&P brochures. In parallel, drawing on the PPP Verticals Cartography experience, the SNS JU also developed (and continues to develop) the Verticals Engagement Tracker (VET) to monitor activities across vertical sectors.

The process for the second SNS JU Trials and Pilots Brochure was launched in January 2026, aggregating information from SNS JU Project Trials & Pilots, including network architecture, deployment details, key results obtained, and innovative features enabled by 5G-Advanced / B5G, and emerging 6G technologies. The information collected highlights the benefits and added value delivered by 5G Advanced / B5G and 6G networks, enabling novel and innovative services and applications not possible to be supported with previous generation networks.

A total of 28 Trials & Pilots were received by SNS JU projects for the second edition of the brochure and were evaluated by the appointed evaluation committee comprised of experts of varying background representing key bodies of the SNS JU ecosystem, including the SNS JU Office and the European Commission, the 6G-IA, the SNS JU Steering Board and Technology Board leaders, as well as SNS JU Working Group leaders.

The selected 12 T&Ps featured in this second edition of the T&Ps Brochure are the top-ranked submissions, representing scientific excellence, real-world deployment, and realistic problem-solving in the field, validating B5G/6G enabled solutions of a high maturity level. Importantly, the featured T&Ps demonstrate strong social relevance, economic potential, and/or the validation of ground-breaking services and applications, illustrating how 5G Advanced / B5G and 6G are driving innovation and impact.

Find it online here: https://smart-networks.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/tp-v8.pdf