The project is being undertaken with a specialist consortium of partners which include; Lucent Technologies, DotEcon and the South East Regional Research Laboratory (SERRL) at Birkbeck, University of London.
Initially working with communities in areas where other broadband technologies are not economic, the project will firstly highlight if there are possibilities of using higher power levels than are currently permitted by the equipment regulations, and secondly identify the most suitable frequency bands and technologies to provide broadband to these rural communities.
Scientific Generics, an Ofcom Thought Partner, will lead the consortium and integrate the technical and economic aspects of the work; geographers at SERRL will provide a proper understanding of the way the geography of rural settlements affects the delivery of modern technologies; Lucent Technologies will provide detailed technical evaluation and modelling capabilities; and DotEcon (also an Ofcom Thought Partner) will provide economic analysis.
Andy Rhodes, Principal Consultant, Scientific Generics said: “This type of research is invaluable to the development of technology in rurally isolated areas. We are delighted to be working for Ofcom and with Lucent Technologies, DotEcon and SERRL in the initial stages of understanding how to enable broadband technology in these areas.”
Ofcom is the Government Office for Communications SCIENTIFIC GENERICS
Scientific Generics is a leading international product development, technology licensing, and management consulting company. We Create Value from Technology by:
Innovating and developing new technology platforms and products that fundamentally change the bases of competition
Assisting businesses and policy makers to design and implement strategies for technology, innovation and growth
Scientific Generics is part of The Generics Group, which has facilities and state-of-the-art laboratories located in Europe in Cambridge, Frankfurt, Zürich, Switzerland and Stockholm; and in Boston and Baltimore in the USA. The Generics Group has over 200 employees, of which more than half are high-calibre technology professionals.
LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES
Lucent Technologies designs and delivers the systems, services and software that drive next-generation communications networks. Backed by Bell Labs research and development, Lucent uses its strengths in mobility, optical, software, data and voice networking technologies, as well as services, to create new revenue-generating opportunities for its customers, while enabling them to quickly deploy and better manage their networks. Lucent’s customer base includes communications service providers, governments and
enterprises worldwide.
DOTECON
DotEcon is a specialist economic consultancy advising private companies and the public sector on regulation, competition policy, public policy, licensing, auctions and business strategy. DotEcon focuses on network industries, and has worked on many of the most topical issues in the converging telecoms, media and internet sectors as well as transport and financial networks.
BIRBECK, UNIVERSITY OR LONDON
In 1987 John Shepherd founded, with Professor David Rhind, the South East Regional Research Laboratory (SERRL), which provides policy related research. SERRL has been a pioneer in the use of Geographic Information Systems in planning research and since 1987, almost 20 researchers have contributed to the SERRL mission, all of them going on to important jobs in related fields of activity. John recently led the team that developed the new government sponsored definition of rural areas of England and Wales
Birkbeck, University of London is ranked among the leading UK University institutions for its levels of national and international excellence in research in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences and with a strong emphasis on providing full-time and part-time postgraduate courses and research opportunities. Ninety-one per cent of academic staff at Birkbeck are research active – the highest rate for any multi-faculty institution in London and the fifth highest for the UK. More than eighty per cent of all research carried out at Birkbeck is rated as being of international importance.
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