Vodafone has opened an R&D centre in Silicon Valley. The ‘Vodafone Xone’ facility will provide technical expertise, potential financial assistance, logistical support and facilities to help promising US technology companies gain a fast track into proof-of-concept trials across Vodafone’s global network.

Vodafone say the facility is intended to identify and qualify innovative technologies from start-ups, R&D labs, universities and venture capital portfolios with the potential to deliver new and innovative products and services to Vodafone’s global customer base. Vodafone says it will also provide selected companies with commercial feedback. In addition, up to 24 companies will be able to use on-site office and test space within Vodafone Xone.

The facility will house a test and development lab, which will replicate Vodafone’s global networks, and will include a protected environment for developers to test solutions. Capabilities include 2G/3G/LTE radio and an Internet Protocol (IP) network. together with access to the IP service framework IP Multimedia Subsystem. The lab is interconnected via a dedicated backbone to Vodafone’s European networks. Vodafone Xone is also closely aligned with Verizon’s Innovation Centres in San Francisco and Waltham, giving select companies access to Verizon Wireless’s development 4G LTE network, as well as additional collaboration resources.

“Vodafone Xone offers Silicon Valley start-ups access to more than a third of a billion customers in more than 30 countries around the world,” says Siavash Alamouti, director of Vodafone Group research and development. “We’re excited about this opportunity to share our scale and global expertise with the brightest and best the valley has to offer.”

There’s more information about the initiative here.