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US-Ireland Telecommunications Workshop Dublin, 1 st – 2 nd November 2011 Telecommunications in Northern Ireland Dr Phi

US-Ireland Telecommunications Workshop Dublin, 1 st – 2 nd November 2011 Telecommunications in Northern Ireland Dr Philip Morrow & Professor Gerard Parr Information and Communication Engineering Research Group Computer Science Research Institute University of Ulster

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US-Ireland Telecommunications Workshop Dublin, 1 st – 2 nd November 2011 Telecommunications in Northern Ireland Dr Phi

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  1. US-Ireland Telecommunications Workshop Dublin, 1st – 2nd November 2011 Telecommunications in Northern Ireland Dr Philip Morrow& Professor Gerard Parr Information and Communication Engineering Research GroupComputer Science Research Institute University of Ulster Coleraine Campus, Northern Ireland

  2. Outline • Background – Telecommunications in NI • Telecommunications Infrastructure • Next Generation Broadband • Ofcom Communications Market Report 2011 • Telecommunications – A Priority for the Knowledge Economy • Project KELVIN

  3. Background – Telecommunications in NI # • “Northern Ireland - An innovative world-class telecommunications region in Europe” • On periphery of both the UK and Europe, but Northern Ireland has access to full range of world class telecommunications services enabling it to compete in the global economy. • A very effective core telecommunications infrastructure has been created across Northern Ireland. • Over 20 years ago NI became the first region in Europe to have a fully fibre core network, and since then a second fully fibre ring has been built around Northern Ireland. • In 2005 Northern Ireland became the first region in Europe to have 100% access to first generation broadband (512kbps). Demand for higher broadband speeds is increasing. # Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment Northern Ireland – DETINI http://www.detini.gov.uk/deti-telecoms-index.htm

  4. Background – Telecommunications in NI • Connectivity is a basic requirement for the development of a knowledge-based economy and broadband is of strategic importance due to its ability to: • accelerate the contribution of these technologies to economic growth, • facilitate innovation • enhance social inclusion. • The NI Programme for Government (PfG) sets out a number of strategic priorities for Northern Ireland during the period 2008-2011 to pursue an innovative and productive economy and a fair society. • PfG envisages that a successful economy will be "characterised by high productivity, a highly skilled and flexible workforce and employment growth" to which telecommunications will play a key role. • DETI's telecommunications initiatives are currently focused on 3 key areas: • international connectivity • delivery of next generation network infrastructure • broadband stimulation

  5. Telecommunications Infrastructure • Northern Ireland has a very extensive and modern telecommunications infrastructure, which includes both fixed line and radio networks. • The broadband backbone network that provides the high capacity core network connecting major urban centres consists of • BT's ADSL Network • NTL's Core Infrastructure, • MCI linkages, and ... • Also radio networks providing both voice (e.g. mobile phone) and data services. • All towns and cities that are on the backbone network have up to 155 Mbps SDH access capacity (with some towns up to 622 Mbps) • In smaller locations served by spurs of the backbone, broadband access may be limited to 2 Mbps over the copper infrastructure. • Broadband satellite and wireless services are also available across Northern Ireland. There are also extensive mobile phone networks with 5 major operators delivering services. • Northern Ireland has secure, resilient and high capacity international links provided by underground and undersea cables as well as radio and microwave technologies

  6. Next Generation Broadband Project • The Executive in Northern Ireland put together a plan published in The Programme for Government 2008 - 2011 and Investment Strategy 2008 - 2018 to ensure the development of modern, efficient infrastructure which is essential for economic and social development. • One of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment's ("DETI") targets in this regard is to "increase the availability of next generation broadband speeds to 85% of businesses by 2011". • Should focus on both rural and urban areas in Northern Ireland where these services are not available, or are unlikely to be available in the foreseeable future. • To achieve this, DETI's contract with BT will involve the deployment of more fibre optic cable deeper into Northern Ireland’s urban districts, towns, villages and countryside. • There will also be upgrades to equipment across 166 exchanges and the introduction of new technology to increase broadband speeds to businesses

  7. Ofcom Communications Market Report Northern Ireland 2011 # • “Northern Ireland embraces latest technology” • Consumers in Northern Ireland are among the most enthusiastic consumers of communications technology in the UK. • Some 92% use a mobile phone, of which almost a quarter have a smartphone (23%). • Northern Ireland also leads the way across the UK for sending text messages (93%), taking photos with a mobile (71%), sending photo messages (64%) and playing games on their phone (31%). • Ofcoms Communications Market Report reveals that 31% watch TV or video online, 51% use internet banking sites and 32% use the internet to access information on health-related issues, a significant rise of 15 percentage points from 2010. #http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/market-data/communications-market-reports/cmr11/northern-ireland/

  8. Ofcom Communications Market Report Northern Ireland 2011 # • Communications infrastructure availability across the UK’s nations: • Figure shows the availability of communications services across the UK by percentage of population covered. • The coverage of most services shown in the chart has not changed in the past year. Digital terrestrial television is an exception to this, having risen as a result of the continuing digital switchover programme across the UK (to be completed in 2012). #http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/market-data/communications-market-reports/cmr11/northern-ireland/

  9. Ofcom Communications Market Report Northern Ireland 2011 # • Communications service adoption across the nations of the UK: 2011 • Take-up of the most established communications services remained stable or increased modestly in the past year. • Broadband take-up (whether fixed or mobile) has continued to increase, with a three percentage point rise in the past year. The largest percentage point increases were seen in Wales (+7) and Northern Ireland (+5). In Scotland, broadband ownership remained at 61% and is now 13% points behind the UK average of 74%. #http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/market-data/communications-market-reports/cmr11/northern-ireland/

  10. Ofcom Communications Market Report Northern Ireland 2011 # • Broadband penetration in Northern Ireland • Since 2008, broadband penetration in Northern Ireland has risen from 52 per cent and now stands at 75 per cent, making Northern Ireland second only to England among the UK nations for broadband take-up (the UK average now stands at 74 per cent). • Northern Ireland consumers satisfaction with their broadband speeds has increased significantly over the past year, with 83 per cent of people claiming to be fairly or very satisfied - an increase of 13 percentage points. • Some 90 per cent of TV homes have digital TV on their main set while two-thirds of Northern Ireland TV homes pay for television an increase of 11 percentage points on last year and above the UK average of 57 per cent. • Over the last five years we have seen Northern Ireland catch up, and in some cases overtake, the rest of the UK in the use of the latest communications services. #http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/market-data/communications-market-reports/cmr11/northern-ireland/

  11. Telecommunications – A Priority for the Knowledge Economy • In Northern Ireland, the private ICT sector is dominated by the telecommunications (53%) and software (34.3%) sub sectors. • The MATRIX Telecoms Horizon Panel Report sets out the options to exploit Northern Ireland’s Telecoms infrastructure which is seen as a key enabler for global services and growth. • As a region Northern Ireland is now well placed to capture a share of the multi-trillion pound global market - geographic location no longer relevant • A set of six areas of opportunity were identified by the MATRIX Panel that are enabled by the Northern Ireland infrastructure. These are: • Advanced Engineering & Materials • Health & Life Sciences • Social & Digital Media • ICT – Cloud Applications & Service Development • Smart Grids • Financial Services

  12. Telecommunications – A Priority for the Knowledge Economy • In both jurisdictions, policy documents and statements cite communications as an area of focus to enable the realization of smart economy. • Project Kelvin, the new telecommunications link across the Atlantic underscores this commitment. • Project Kelvin is part of the £30m joint cross-border Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and Irish Department of Communications Energy and Natural Resources direct international connectivity project. • The increased bandwidth will benefit cross-border and cross-atlantic research collaboration. • The two Universities in Northern Ireland both have major centres of telecommunications expertise: • Computer Science Research Institute - Ulster • Institute of Electronics, Communications, and Information Technology - QUB

  13. International Connectivity PROJECT KELVIN New Trans-Atlantic Fibre-optic Infrastructure for US-Ireland-Europe Communications Professor Gerard Parr- Technical Advisor to UK and Irish Governments

  14. KELVIN- Background • Proposed and Managed by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment (DETI) in Northern Ireland and the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (MCENR) in Ireland • Funded by the European Union under the INTERREG IVa Programme- total cost approx 60 million Euro • The INTERREG IVA Programme is the Cross-Border Territorial Cooperation Programme for Northern Ireland, the Border Region and Western Scotland. The overall aim of the INTERREG IVA Programme is to: ‘Support strategic cross-border co-operation for a more prosperous and sustainable region.’

  15. Hibernia Network Map

  16. Project Kelvin Landing Station PoP

  17. Conclusions • Effective core telecommunications infrastructure has been created across Northern Ireland • Private ICT sector is dominated by the telecommunications (53%) and software (34.3%) sub sectors • Northern Ireland now well placed to capture a share of the multi-trillion pound global market - geographic location no longer relevant • Increased availability and use of telecommunications infrastructure provides opportunities for new service and applications markets • Kelvin provides significant opportunities for international collaboration

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