08.08.06
Synetrix delivers wireless network for Norfolk Open Link
Synetrix, a leading UK provider of integrated applications and managed services for the public sector, has announced that it has designed and installed the wireless network for the Norfolk Open Link project. This £1.1 million, two-year pilot project, will operate from August 2006 to April 2008 and will evaluate the impact and potential of mobile technology. The project is led by Norfolk County Council and is fully funded by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA). Norfolk Open Link will be the only network of its type in the UK to provide free internet access for public sector employees, the business community and the general public. Anyone with a wireless enabled laptop, personal digital assistant (PDA) or internet mobile phone, can access and use the network free of charge.
The Norfolk Open Link pilot project has been developed to allow Norfolk County Council to evaluate the impact of mobile technology and is aimed at encouraging economic development in Norfolk and the delivery of public sector services throughout the region. The network covers a large area of Norwich city centre, as well as key sites, including the University of East Anglia, Norwich Science Park, Broadland Business Park and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. Later this year, another 20+ rural locations in the South Norfolk district will be added to the network, making it the first in the UK to include both rural and urban locations.
The network has been designed to deliver significant continuous coverage and performance efficiency, within strict safety guidelines. More than 200 small Telabria APM 300 aerials have been fitted high up on existing street furniture, such as lampposts and buildings, to create the network. Each aerial has a reception radius of up to 300m and they have been located to deliver maximum coverage in the required areas. The aerials feed signals back to nine ‘backhaul’ sites, which then link to the project’s central 40Mb internet link based at County Hall.
The Norfolk Open Link network enables the potential for a series of applications that will improve living and working conditions in the region. Applications being considered during the pilot phase include e-enabling of teams of midwives, real time transport information, access to a virtual learning environment, Mobile CCTV and City-wide event information.
Kurt Fray, project leader at Norfolk County Council commented, “We selected Synetrix to deliver the wireless network because the company proposed a solution that focused on our project objectives and provided the most extensive coverage area. It has the potential for application integration and the wireless network it has provided matches the vision for success this project demands.”
Patrick Hacon, chairman of Norfolk County Council, added, “We are very excited about the possibilities that Norfolk Open Link presents for the county. The pilot project will aim to harness the potential wireless technology can have in enhancing the delivery of our public services and stimulating business and private use of wireless technologies.”
Pete Davis, business development manager for Synetrix, said, “We were given the task of designing the network to be used in the Norfolk Open Link project, so it was very important that we designed the best possible solution for the requirements. We proposed the adoption of wireless mesh technology because this is a more cost-effective and resilient technology than other potential options and more suitable for wireless roaming.”
Alex Jadavji, Synetrix chief executive concluded, “This is a hugely exciting project, with massive implications, not just for the public sector, but for every citizen in the country. We are delighted to have been selected to deliver the key elements of the solution – the design, delivery and management of the wireless network. We are fully committed to using all our knowledge, experience and capability to ensure the project attains the level of performance, reliability and success demanded by the community of Norfolk.”
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