Cambridge and Bristol, UK – August 12, 2025 – The Joint Open Infrastructure for Networks Research (JOINER) initiative, led by the University of Bristol, has selected CRFS RFeye Nodes as the RF sensing backbone of the JOINER National Spectrum Facility (NSF).
JOINER NSF is a new research platform designed to power research and innovation aimed at delivering UK spectrum abundance, helping to ensure that spectrum access is not a limiting factor on the UK’s economic and societal potential.
JOINER is a university-led experimentation platform created to accelerate future communications and networks research, exploitation, and adoption. It enables industry, academia, and government to develop and test advanced connectivity technologies for the 6G era and co-create applications at scale on a neutral, heterogeneous platform.
To support its mission, the project established the JOINER NSF to conduct real-world, large-scale spectrum research and data gathering. Achieving this requires persistent, high-fidelity RF monitoring and data capture across wide bandwidths and in diverse environments.
Following a rigorous assessment process, JOINER chose CRFS’ technology to be deployed
across all national terminals.
Designed specifically to support JOINER’s requirements, CRFS’ rugged, high-performance RF sensors allow wideband spectrum monitoring and high-fidelity I/Q capture for analysis and modelling.
CRFS’ RF sensors will support the JOINER NSF with its critical tasks, including predicting future spectrum sharing scenarios, creating testbeds to trial dynamic resource allocation strategies, and building AI-driven algorithms.
Professor Simon Saunders from the University of Bristol said, “Utilising JOINER to create a national network of highly sensitive RFeye Nodes will provide the eyes and ears of spectrum innovation in the UK. It is essential for developing future wireless technologies, driving spectrum policy experimentation, and ensuring spectrum abundance is a reality, not just an aspiration.”
Dr Pio Szyjanowicz, COO of CRFS, said: “CRFS was founded to develop technology that meets the spectrum challenges of tomorrow. This collaboration with JOINER is a clear validation of that vision, and we are proud to contribute to a national infrastructure that is enabling the UK’s next generation of wireless innovation and spectrum policy.”
CRFS specialises in developing technology to detect, identify, and geolocate signals in complex RF environments. Allied military forces, system integrators, and government security agencies worldwide trust the company’s TRL-9 systems. CRFS hardware and software products are designed to provide actionable spectrum intelligence across a wide frequency range, essential for successful Electronic Warfare Support and Electromagnetic Spectrum Operation missions.
JOINER (Joint Open Infrastructure for Networks Research) is a national experimentation platform created to accelerate future communications and networks research, exploitation and adoption. Collaborative by design, JOINER enables industry, academia, and government to develop and test 6G technologies and co-create applications at scale on a neutral, heterogeneous platform. Bringing together the knowledge and research capabilities of 14 world-leading universities and labs, JOINER offers a combination of test environments, tools and infrastructure, combined with an emphasis on knowledge sharing and dissemination. It forms part of the UK Federated Telecoms Hub, supporting the UK’s strategy for future telecoms through the provision of joined up infrastructure.
CRFS media contact
Chris Abraham – VP of Marketing
cabraham@crfs.com
JOINER media contact
Mary Paslawski – Marketing Director
mary@innovatecomms.co.uk
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