RESTART Plenary: Shaping Telecom’s Future

From 19 to 21 January 2026, the RESTART Plenary Event marked the conclusion of a three-year journey dedicated to advancing telecommunications research and innovation in Italy. The event was an important opportunity to take stock of the results achieved, share experiences, and reflect on how research outcomes can shape future communication systems.

RESTART — RESearch and innovation on future Telecommunications systems and networks, to make Italy more smart — is the largest public R&D program ever launched in the Italian telecommunications sector. Funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) within the NextGenerationEU framework, with €116 million allocated between 2023 and 2026, the program was designed to strengthen Italy’s research ecosystem and support the evolution of future telecom systems.

RESTART is organized around a Hub-and-Spoke model, coordinated by the RESTART Foundation and structured into 8 thematic Spokes, covering key areas of telecommunications research. Over time, the initiative expanded from 27 initial partners to include more than 100 additional organizations, bringing together universities, research centers, startups, and industrial players. Research activities were carried out through 32 projects, supported by transversal Grand Challenges, with the aim of combining scientific excellence, applied research, and technology transfer, and turning long-term research into tangible outcomes for the telecommunications sector.

During the RESTART program, SMA-RTY contributed to three key projects: RUSC, FIRS, and MUSICA, spanning radio access, network reconfigurability, and multi-domain communication. Each project explored innovative approaches to 5G networks and sensing systems, pushing the boundaries of adaptability and integration.

RUSC focused on developing a flexible, high-performance radio unit leveraging a programmable chip powered by the XRAN library. Its modular design allows customization and remote updates, ensuring continuous adaptability. The project was realized in collaboration with Antecnica and sponsored by the RESTART Foundation under NextGenerationEU.

FIRS explored the creation of private 5G networks capable of dynamic reconfiguration. By making radio and user behavior telemetry data available to the network controller, the system can automatically adapt to changing conditions, faults, or threats. The project was supported by the RESTART Foundation under NextGenerationEU.

MUSICA integrated underwater acoustic sensing with surface radio communications on USV platforms. Through multi-domain data fusion (MD2F), signals from both domains are combined to enhance situational awareness, supporting advanced navigation and obstacle avoidance. This project was also sponsored by the RESTART Foundation under NextGenerationEU.

Within the RESTART program, SMA-RTY actively contributed to multiple initiatives, spanning both applied and forward-looking research. In addition to projects focused on private 5G and network reconfigurability, the company participated in 6GWINET, a structural project of Spoke 6 dedicated to next-generation wireless networks beyond 5G.

6GWINET addresses the challenges of future wireless systems operating at millimeter-wave, sub-THz, and THz frequencies, exploring new radiating structures, user-centric radio architectures, cell-free massive MIMO, and intelligent radio environments, with proof-of-concept activities in demanding scenarios such as vehicular communications and drone-based connectivity.

Within this framework, SMA-RTY contributed through the RUSC project, developing advanced 5G/6G radio units that combine communication and sensing capabilities. RUSC supports the creation of modular, reconfigurable radios integrated with edge computing and Open RAN-based control, strengthening the connection between research and real-world industrial applications while laying the foundation for future 6G networks.

SMA-RTY’s contribution to innovation within RESTART was further recognized through the RESTART Startup Contest: AI for Networks and Data Management.

The contest, aimed at promoting high-impact startups applying artificial intelligence to network automation, security, and data-driven optimization, selected SMA-RTY as first-ranked startup.

As part of the award, SMA-RTY presented its vision and solutions during the Final Plenary Dissemination Event, highlighting how research-driven approaches can translate into scalable, real-world technologies.

Beyond technical results, the Plenary Event created a valuable space for discussion and exchange among participating organizations. The open dialogue fostered during the event generated new ideas and potential collaborations, reinforcing the network built throughout the program.

As RESTART approaches its conclusion, it leaves behind a strengthened research ecosystem, tangible scientific and industrial results, and a shared awareness of telecommunications as a strategic national resource.

For SMA-RTY, the program represented a research opportunity, but also a catalyst for growth: bridging theory and practice, and laying the foundations for future innovation in private networks and next-generation communication systems.