Telindus, Trapeze Team

ODIHAM, U.K. -- Derry City Council (DCC), the School of Computing and Intelligent Systems at the University of Ulster's (UU) Magee Campus and the North West Institute of Further and Higher Education (NWIFHE) have joined forces to create Northern Ireland's largest wireless LAN. The network, designed by network solutions provider Telindus and based on the Trapeze Networks Mobility System(tm), spans one square mile. It will allow students and lecturers to benefit from a SMART classroom environment and tablet PC mandate initiative and tourists to access historic and cultural information via GPS/WLAN enabled PDAs.

The flagship project, which is funded by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment (DETI) under the European Union Building Sustainable Prosperity Programme (ERDF), is due to be completed by December 2006.Because of the geographical proximity of DCC, UU and NWIFHE the wireless infrastructure will be a seamless network across the whole area, consisting of three strands, Wireless Campus, Wireless Council and Wireless Walls.

Wireless Campus

Students will have more flexible access to computing and educational resources, email and the Internet because of the wireless network, which will cover large areas of UU's Magee Campus and the NWIHFE campuses, including classrooms, meeting rooms, library areas, student union areas and canteens. SMART classrooms replace static seating with a more dynamic and interactive multi-media learning environment where students can exchange, highlight and display information on SMART boards. In a pilot project, engineering students will receive wireless enabled tablet PCs for the duration of their course, for a wider a range of services such as interactive transfer of information.

A wireless Technology Centre will provide solid technical engineering and computing expertise to application developers and users of wireless technology.

Professor Martin McGinnity, Acting Associate Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Ulster University, who is managing the wireless campus elements of the project comments, "This exciting project will enable us to deliver a more interactive and exciting learning environment for our students. It supplements our other research work on e-Learning and remote access to laboratories, and will permit us to provide a better, more flexible approach to teaching and learning. We anticipate a new integration between lecture and practical laboratories, and the application of new teaching methodologies as a result of the Smart Classroom elements of this project.

Our goal is to create an active learning environment where students engage enthusiastically in their learning, as a result of the potential offered by the anytime, anywhere computing approach inherent in the advanced wireless infrastructure. In addition, the Wireless Technology Centre will permit us to support industry and commerce in exploiting the potential of wireless technology in innovative products."

Wireless Council

The Wireless Council will build on and develop existing e-government services from both the Council Offices and the Council Chamber, giving wireless connectivity to city councillors and local government officers.Ina pilot project, an Electronic Document and Record Management System(EDRMS)will be installed in DCC, which will serve as a model for the other 25 local authorities in Northern Ireland.

Dermot Harrigan, Economic Development Officer for Derry City Council, who is managing the wireless council and wireless walls elements of the Flagship Initiative said, "To date this effort has improved the Council's effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of internal and external services. However this technology has the potential to deliver even more. We see this as the first step in the enhanced delivery of e-government services to the citizen."

Walled City Area

A wireless network within Derry City walls is also planned, which will give visitors an entirely new experience. Tourists will be able to rent wireless-enabled PDAs containing information on historical and cultural information and eating and shopping guides.

"The prospect of a state-of-the art wireless network and SMART classroom model on the Magee and NWIFHE campuses is very exciting as it will make the teaching and learning experience far more interactive and dynamic. We can't wait to see the solution put into practice for the new term in October 2005," says Harry Young, Network Manager at University of Ulster.

"We chose to work with Telindus because it has an excellent track-record in implementing best-of-breed technology solutions. The Trapeze Mobility System fits perfectly with our needs - it's reliable, secure and easy to manage," Young adds.

Dr Trevor Forsythe from the DETI said, "The Northern Ireland Broadband Flagship Project Initiative was created, following a competition for projects, to raise awareness and encourage adoption of broadband. The Department's intention was to encourage local and international organisations to showcase applications, services and/or content of broadband. Nineteen proposals were made and the one submitted by UU, Derry City Council and NWIFHE was selected."

Telindus Group NV

Trapeze Networks Inc.