Press Release

£5m Industry Research Initiative Pushes the Wireless Telecom Frontier

The UK is working with leading global players to push the boundaries of future wireless telecoms via a new industry led research initiative, co-funded by the UK Government. The programme is undertaking strategic research identified by a cross-company visions team from the global industry. The ambitious programme will deliver reduced power consumption (Green Radio), will enable flexible network evolution and create new user interaction mechanisms, to enable a host of new breakthrough services. A public industry launch takes place at the BERR Conference Centre in Westminster on the afternoon of 20th February.

The programme has been defined and steered by global operators and manufacturers including Alcatel-Lucent, BBC, BT, Fujitsu, Huawei, Hutchison ‘3’, NEC, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, Orange (France Telecom), Samsung, Thales, Toshiba, Turner and Vodafone - member companies of Mobile VCE (Virtual Centre of Excellence).

This initiative is a partnership between Mobile VCE and the UK’s Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council and was announced at the Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona (16-19th February 2009).  The partnership is designed to deliver future communications technology where user needs are met seamlessly, transparently and intuitively, enabling new services, applications and business models.

Mobile VCE Chief Executive Walter Tuttlebee said: “Innovation is a strategic need for future industry growth. Participating companies access in excess of £2.5m, industry-steered, strategic research per annum for less than the cost of an engineer.  When their R&D budgets are under pressure, Mobile VCE’s unique business model enables companies to maintain strategic research very cost effectively.”

Lord Carter, Minister of Communications, stated that "As well as international quality research, Mobile VCE provides excellent networking mechanisms between industry, university and Government - one of the real successes of Foresight." He went on to say that "These capabilities position us well as we move forward to implement Digital Britain".

ENDS

Notes to Editor:
Mobile VCE is the operating name of the Virtual Centre of Excellence in Mobile and Personal Communications Ltd, a collaborative partnership of some of the world's most prominent Communications companies and the UK’s leading research Universities.  Mobile VCE began life as a national initiative in 1996 but today is recognised as a leading global organisation, with MoU and other partnerships worldwide, www.mobilevce.com.  Its industry members include Alcatel-Lucent, BBC, BT, Fujitsu, Huawei, Hutchison ‘3’, NEC, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, Orange (France Telecom), Samsung, Thales, Toshiba, Turner and Vodafone

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is the UK’s main agency for funding research in engineering and the physical sciences. The EPSRC invests more than £740 million a year in research and postgraduate training, to help the nation handle the next generation of technological change. www.epsrc.ac.uk

For more information on the Industry Launch Event on 20th February 2009 -
http://www.mobilevce.com/calendar

For more information on Digital Britain -
http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/broadcasting/5631.aspx

Mobile VCE Office
+44 1256 316588
office@mobilevce.com

19th January 2009	MobileVCE Home	Copyright © 2009 Mobile VCE.