A Waterford-based group has won a project worth almost €6m in EU funding to help build 5G, the next generation of mobile phone networks.

4G is currently being rolled out across the country and the fifth generation is likely to start appearing in six years' time.

The CogNet project based at the Telecommunications, Software and Systems Group (TSSG) at WIT is the only Irish-led project - and only one of 15 in Europe - to get the funding.

CogNet is to develop solutions to provide a highly automated and more intelligent level of network monitoring and management.

Partners include IBM in Dublin, Fraunhofer Fokus in Germany, Telefonica in Spain, universities in Madrid, Berlin and Italy as well as VicomTech in the Basque Region and Israel partners, Alcatel Luvcent and WeFi.

Co-ordinator Robert Mullins said it gives TSSG and their project partners across Europe a central role among those building a future-proof, fit for purpose 5G network. It will also see them working alongside tech experts and global industry leaders in the sector.

The project will require six full-time, highly-skilled staff, some with PhDs at TSSG. Others will be based with specialised team members for the 30 month, intensive programme.

"We now have an opportunity to play in the premier league of European telecoms. Everyone that is anyone in the 5G space is involved - all the major companies, research groups and universities with expertise in this area. Only 15 projects were approved and we're the only Irish-led project.

"We've got a great team and we're really looking forward to getting started. Our mission is to build a faster, better technical infrastructure for the billions of inter-connected, smart devices, among these cars, phones and wearables, buildings and appliances. It has to be mobile, it has to be wireless," Mr Mullins said.