The BONE-project is about people, integration and collaboration in the field of optical networks.

The core activity of the BONE-project is the stimulation of intensified collaboration, exchange of researchers and integration of activities and know-how into and amongst partners. Through the establishment of Virtual Centres of Excellence, the BONE-project looks into the future and builds and supports the final “Network of the Future” through education & training, research tools & testlabs on new technologies & architectures. The leading-edge position of European Research in the field and, consequently, of European industry, could be threatened by returning to an uncoordinated and scattered approach to optical networking research. BONE consolidates the process, supported during FP6, of integration and reorganization of research efforts across European academic and industrial groups in FP7.

This is accomplished through:

• Building Virtual Centres of Excellence that cover specific issues in the field of Optical Networking that can serve to European industry with education & training, research tools & testlabs and pave the way to development of new technologies & architectures.


• Reaching out, including and linking to research activities in national programmes, or programmes outside Europe.


• Stimulating an intensified collaboration, exchange of researchers between the research groups involved and active in the field.


• Disseminating the expertise and know-how of these European Research groups to a broader audience, both R&D oriented as well as industry- and decision maker oriented.