Cormac Sreenan, professor, Department of Computer Science, University College Cork; Karen Kelly, development manager, UCC; Mike Fitzgerald, chief executive, Altobridge; and Richard Lord, chief technology officer, Altobridge.
Kerry company Altobridge is collaborating with University College Cork in a €250,000 research project which will enable cost-effective mobile internet access in remote communities.
Part of Enterprise Ireland’s Innovation Partnership programme, The Back-haul Optimisation in Heterogeneous Wireless Access Networks (BACOPT) project aims to lower the cost of 3G mobile internet in remote villages, airplanes, boats and oil platforms.
It will be led by Cormac Sreenan,a professor in UCC’s Computer Science Department, who will collaborate with telecommunications engineers from Altobridge to devise novel approaches for optimising data delivery. Its aim will be to reduce the cost of satellite usage and open up the internet for new users.
Altobridge develops mobile communications over, satellite for remote communities, including die aeronautical and maritime industries.
Sreenan said a growing number of people in remote communities wanted internet access at reasonable prices.
“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,” said Sreenan.
“The research is challenging and will require breakthroughs in the design of software and communication protocols for these remote networks. Outcomes of the BACOPT project will be evaluated on an experimental mobile network that links UCC and the Altobridge headquarters in Tralee.”