BT launches research centre

Looks at becoming a global centre of research for next generation fixed and wireless communication technologies.

After successfully launching a research centre in Shanghai, British Telecom (BT) "" United Kingdom's largest telecom player "" has come up with a virtual research and innovation centre, made up of 22 industry and academic consortium partners from India and the UK.

A first of its kind in India, the India-UK Advanced Technology Centre (IU-ATC) will drive collaborative research programmes and technology transfers between the UK and India.

"The centre will conduct breakthrough research into current and next generation fixed and wireless communications, with the aim of becoming a global Centre of Excellence for next generation networks (NGN) and ICT research," said Matt Bross, group chief technology officer, BT.

The centre will target the UK and Indian Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidates, who will be selected by the universities in India and the UK through the normal university selection process.

Successful candidates will then be registered as PhD students at the grant-holding IU-ATC University.

Upon completion of their period of research and the submission and successful defending of their thesis, the students will be awarded PhD degrees from the university that they originally registered with.

The Indian academic and industry partners include Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Wipro Technologies, Sasken Communications, among others.

The students will spend time at both the UK and Indian universities and do industrial placements with the IU-ATC industry partners.

The strategic areas in which research can be done include real-time network management protocols, pervasive sensor networks, embedded devices, wireless protocols among others.

Ashok Jhunjhunwala, professor, IIT, Chennai and academic lead, IU- ATC, India, said: "With the creation of this centre, Indian PhD students can now collaborate in a global, virtual platform, to share innovative research concepts among an elite grouping in the UK and Indian academic institutions. The global connectivity of this virtual consortium will ensure the rapid transfer of ideas and technology with the aim of creating breakthroughs in NGN and ICT research."