The Australian government is moving forward with its plans to establish the ‘Secure G’ Connectivity Test Lab, dedicated to evaluating the security and interoperability of 5G equipment, protocols, and upcoming 6G technology.
The lab’s creation was initially announced as part of the digital economy strategy 2030 in 2021. Now, the Department of Home Affairs has initiated the search for an operator to run the lab for an initial period of two years.
The decision to establish the lab was influenced by a 2022 scoping study and market research conducted earlier this year, which guided its objectives.
In the tender documents, the Department of Home Affairs expressed its interest in collaborating with vendors, service providers, and researchers to conduct testing on equipment and protocols within the lab. In exchange for their participation, the government expects valuable insights and findings to be shared with the Commonwealth.
One key area of interest for the government is obtaining data on the capabilities of open radio access networks (Open RAN), an architectural option that may be favored in future co-funding agreements for expanding mobile networks. Additionally, the lab’s activities could potentially support supply chain diversification, including the entry of new players into the Australian market.
The security of 5G networks has been a significant concern for the government since 2018 when it decided to ban Huawei and ZTE from participating in domestic 5G networks due to national security considerations. The ‘Secure G’ Connectivity Test Lab aims to further bolster Australia’s efforts in ensuring the security and resilience of its communication infrastructure.