Trials and Pilots Brochure No.2

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 

Project Officer visit at SAFE-6G booth

A highlight of the event was the visit of SAFE-6G Project Officer Odysseas Pyrovolakis to the project’s exhibition booth. During his visit, consortium partners presented a live demonstration of the SAFE-6G solutions, showcasing the project’s latest technological developments and achievements. The demonstration provided an excellent opportunity to discuss the progress made so far, exchange valuable feedback, and explore the impact of SAFE-6G innovations on the future of secure, sustainable, and AI-native 6G networks.

SAFE-6G at EuCNC & 6G Summit 2026 

SAFE-6G had a strong presence at the EuCNC & 6G Summit 2026, held in Málaga, Spain, from 2–5 June 2026, contributing to a wide range of technical workshops, special sessions, panel discussions, demonstrations, and scientific presentations addressing the future of secure, sustainable, and AI-native 6G networks.

The project actively contributed to several workshops through presentations delivered by Harilaos Koumaras, covering key topics such as security in 6G networks, AI-native data platforms, DataOps and MLOps frameworks, dataset generation and curation, operational sustainability, and the convergence of research, software, and standardization towards AI-native network architectures.

SAFE-6G also presented its latest research results through the paper entitled “An Open-Source CAMARA UE Location API Implementation over 3GPP NEF for AI-Native Crowd Assessment in 6G Networks”, highlighting innovative approaches for leveraging network exposure capabilities in future intelligent communication systems.

Beyond technical presentations, SAFE-6G participated in several high-level discussions and special sessions, including The SME Factor in Europe’s Sovereignty, The Value Approach of 6G: The Role of Key Value Indicators in Design and Societal Impact, and Architecture Advancements towards 6G: Pre-Standardization, Key Technology Enablers, and Facing Challenges. These sessions provided valuable opportunities to exchange insights with industry leaders, researchers, policymakers, and standardization experts shaping the future European 6G ecosystem.

Visitors also had the opportunity to engage directly with the project team at the SAFE-6G exhibition booth (#62), where live demonstrations showcased the project’s latest innovations and technological achievements.

The event provided an excellent platform to disseminate SAFE-6G results, strengthen collaboration with the wider research and innovation community, and contribute to ongoing discussions on secure, sustainable, and AI-native 6G networks.

AI-Driven Reliability in 6G Networks: Enhancing QoE of Real-World…

This paper advances user-centric Artificial Intelligence (AI) frameworks for reliability in fifth-generation and beyond (B5G) networks by examining their use in high-demand services such as video streaming. The proposed framework can leverage multi-layer monitoring across the edge–cloud continuum, application-layer metrics, and 5G core performance data to evaluate reliability through Quality of Experience (QoE) optimization. Results demonstrate that improved frame delivery can be achieved via dynamic resource prediction and proactive resource allocation. The study validates the framework’s scalability in dynamic workload conditions, emphasizing its role in mission-critical video services.

Find more information here: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4001/7/2/35 

SAFE-6G presentation at 6G-VERSUS trials

Our technical manager, Harilaos Koumaras, during his presentation at 6G-VERSUS field trials, presented the B5G Athens experimentation platform and highlighted the importance of SAFE-6G in its evolution. The B5G/6G Athens experimentation platform is an advanced large-scale experimental facility integrating both Beyond 5G (B5G) network infrastructure and an orchestrated computing continuum built and managed using the aerOS Meta-OS. The platform spans two locations within the metropolitan area of Athens—OTE Academy campus and NCSR Demokritos campus—interconnected via dedicated 10G dark fiber links, forming two fully operational experimental networks. 

Open Community Experience (OCX) 2026

Our coordination team participated in Open Community Experience (OCX) 2026, held from 21–23 April in Brussels, where we represented SAFE-6G at the Eclipse booth. OCX is a flagship annual gathering organized by the Eclipse Foundation, bringing together developers, researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers to explore the latest advancements in open-source technologies. The event featured a rich program of keynote talks, technical sessions, and collaborative workshops focused on topics such as cloud-native infrastructure, edge computing, IoT, and next-generation connectivity. As a project leveraging Eclipse aeriOS—building on Horizon Europe’s aerOS—SAFE-6G showcased how open-source ecosystems can play a crucial role in enabling secure, trustworthy, and resilient 6G systems. Our presence at OCX fostered valuable exchanges with the broader community, highlighting the importance of collaboration and transparency in shaping the future of digital infrastructure.

Spatially Correlated Multi-RIS Communication: The Effect of Inter-Operator Interference…

A multi-operator wireless communication system is studied where each operator is equipped with a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) to enhance its communication quality. RISs controlled by different operators affect the system performance of one another due to the inherently rapid phase shift adjustments that occur on an independent basis. The system performance of such a communication scenario is analytically studied for the practical case where spatial correlation occurs at RIS of arbitrary size. The proposed framework is quite general since it is analyzed under Nakagami- channel fading conditions. Finally, the derived analytical results are verified via numerical and simulation trials as well as some new and useful engineering outcomes are revealed.

Find more information here: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=11152354 

Trust 6G-Net: Trust for Service-Oriented 6G Network Architecture workshop

The Trust 6G-Net: Trust for Service-Oriented 6G Network Architecture workshop, co-sponsored by SNS projects including SAFE-6G, will take place at the IEEE International Conference on Network Softwarisation (NetSoft 2026) on 29 June 2026 in Berlin. The workshop explores emerging trends in 6G security, focusing on trust, AI-driven protection, zero-touch management, privacy-preserving architectures, and confidential computing. Bringing together researchers, industry experts, and SNS initiatives, it aims to address evolving cybersecurity challenges and showcase innovative solutions, prototypes, and validation activities shaping trustworthy 6G networks.

Find more here: https://www.sns-itrust6g.com/trust-6g-net-trust-for-service-oriented-6g-network-architecturw/ 

Project Presentation at NKUA

Vasilis Mavrikakis from INFOLYSiS presented the SAFE-6G project to undergraduate students at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens during a lecture on market research. The presentation introduced the project’s objectives and explained how market research is used to understand stakeholder needs, identify potential applications, and support the development of new technologies. Students gained insight into how research projects combine technological innovation with market analysis to guide future digital communication services.

Call for Experts 2026 – SNS JU is looking…

The Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) is looking to expand its pool of experts to evaluate project proposals and monitor ongoing projects in the field of beyond 5G, 6G technology and smart networks and services. This is your opportunity to contribute to shaping Europe’s digital future and advancing next-generation connectivity solutions.

Expert Profiles We’re Looking For
We are particularly interested in professionals from:

Industry and telecommunications companies
Research institutions and academia
Network operators and service providers
Innovation companies and technology start-ups
Standardization bodies
Public authorities and regulatory bodies
The SNS JU is committed to promoting diversity and encourages applications from all qualified experts. We uphold a strict policy regarding conflicts of interest

Thematic expertise
Especially for this 2026 Call, we welcome experts from diverse backgrounds with demonstrated expertise in:

• 5G and 6G
• Telecommunications
• Verticals industry applications
• Microelectronics and Devices
• AI and Data Science
• Experiments and testbeds including validation of technologies such as:
• AI driven a architecture
• Wireless communication and ISAC
• Optical networking
• Security
• Ubiquitous computing
• Non-Terrestrial Networks
• Other fields and Cross-cutting expertise

In addition to your thematic expertise, the following skills and experiences are very welcome and would be an additional asset:

• Innovation Methodologies, Strategies and Management
• SMEs, Research to Business and Standardisation, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
• Competitiveness and Growth Opportunities
• Open science: open data, open source, interdisciplinary research
• Ethics assessment of R&I projects
• Financial management of R&I projects
• Experience with integrating gender aspects into R&I
• Your Role as an Expert

Selected experts will be involved in:

• Evaluating project proposals applying for EU funding under the SNS JU Calls
• Assessing technical, financial and innovation aspects of proposals
• Monitoring the implementation of funded projects, reviewing deliverables and providing an assessment of the project’s progress
• Contributing to the achievement of the SNS JU’s objectives in advancing European leadership in future networks technologies and services

Find more information here: https://smart-networks.europa.eu/call-for-experts-2026-sns-ju-is-looking-for-evaluators-for-its-eu-research-projects/