THE HAGUE, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The Dutch government approved an investment of 142 million euros (163 million U.S. dollars) in the 6G Future Network Services (FNS) program on Friday.
The second phase of investment in FNS follows the 61 million euros (70 million dollars) tranche of funding allocated to the first phase in 2024.
According to the Council of Ministers, the advisory committee has given a positive assessment of progress made under the program to date. It said the initiative is contributing significantly to the development of next-generation communication technologies and strengthening the Netherlands' position within the global 6G value chain. Therefore, the cabinet released funding for the programme's second phase.
Since its launch in early 2024, FNS has already delivered 20 patents and 14 hardware prototypes, and launched six new companies.
During the second phase, the program will focus on translating research outcomes into concrete 6G technologies, products, and services.
The FNS program in the Netherlands is funded through the National Growth Fund, under which the Dutch government is investing more than 11 billion euros (13 billion dollars) across 50 large-scale projects designed to support sustainable and long-term economic growth.
The FNS currently brings together a core consortium of industry partners, telecoms operators, semiconductor manufacturers, information and communications technology companies, universities, and government organizations. ■