Having achieved significant success in Manchester and Liverpool, this expansion is part of Metronet UK’s strategy to bring wireless connectivity to many other urban centres across the UK and Ireland.
802 Global provided consulting and access to the right technologies to provide Metronet UK with fast, reliable wireless broadband access according to the specific environmental considerations and make up of each city.
Metronet UK’s managed wireless network is a high quality, high speed and cost effective alternative to traditional leased line circuits, supporting a wide range of applications for organisations ranging from local authorities and police to corporate users. By placing wireless radio units and base stations on strategic high sites across a city, a wireless broadband network can be quickly and cost effectively deployed across a wide area without the need for costly leased lines or the lengthy and disruptive roadworks associated with fixed networking. This wireless network can then support a wide range of users and applications, each with their own secure access and guaranteed level of service.
John Earley, head of strategic development at Metronet UK, commented: “By using wireless technology from 802 Global, Metronet is able to deliver a competitive, flexible and robust alternative to traditional communications networks. Through our partnership with 802 Global, we have access to the best wireless products from across the world and can be confident that we deliver the highest quality of service to our end users. Each city we operate in has its own unique challenges, and by working closely with 802 Global and drawing on their expert knowledge of wireless technology we have been able to identify the best of breed solutions for these challenges."
In Manchester and Liverpool the Metronet wireless network already provides mission critical service for local authorities and the police, supporting high quality CCTV video, relaying pictures from more than 200 CCTV and automatic number plate recognition cameras across the wireless network to regional control centres.
Metronet also provides wireless networking for more than 150 business organisations across Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds enabling them to connect their offices for data and video transfer and providing them with high-speed, secure and low cost internet access. “We had customers in Manchester, Liverpool with offices in other cities who were keen to connect to them using Metronet’s service, by rolling out in Leeds and now also Birmingham and Dublin we are able to meet these customers’ needs as well as bringing our solution to new users,” said Earley.
Tim Close, Managing Director of 802 Global, commented: “It is a very exciting time for 802 Global. We have recently announced expansion plans including establishing a permanent presence in Ireland through the appointment of a partner manager based in Dublin. The roll out of additional wireless cities by Metronet shows that wireless technology can bring real benefits such as flexibility, speed of deployment, efficiency and perhaps above all, significant cost savings to users, whether they are local authorities, the emergency services or corporates.”