University College Cork (UCC) has teamed up with a hi-tech Irish telecom company to slash the cost of mobile internet access for people living in remote areas.
UCC has begun the research project with Kerrybased Altobridge Ltd, which is chaired by former Tanaiste Dick Spring.
It is hoped the BACOPT (Back-haul Optimisation in Heterogeneous Wireless Access Networks) project will lower the cost of 3G mobile internet in remote villages, airplanes, boats and oil platforms. It could also lead to huge benefits for developing countries.
The research will involve a team of computer scientists at UCC, led by Prof Cormac Sreenan, working with Altobridge’s telecommunications engineers to improve the speed ef data delivery.
This will in turn lead to reduced costs for satellite usage, thereby opening up the internet for new users.
Mr Sreenan said while most people take mobile internet access for granted, people living in remote sites have to rely on expensive satellite links to connect mobile networks to the internet.
“This collaboration is particularly significant for users in developing countries where wired networks are less prevalent and so mobile access to the internet is relied upon for education, commerce, medical, entertainment and social needs,” Mr Sreenan said.
“The research is challenging and will require breakthroughs in the design of software and communication protocols for these remote networks.”
The research will be tested on an experimental mobile network linking UCC and Altobridge in Tralee.
UCC president Dr Michael Murphy welcomed the collaboration.
“Partnering with industry and funding agencies such as Enterprise Ireland is a fundamental aspect of the university’s strategy,” he said.
“I am particularly proud of the partnership between Altobridge — a company founded by UCC graduate Mike Fitzgerald — and the School of Computer Science and Information Technology.”