Strategic Partners

Fraunhofer FOKUS NET4DC

It is a challenging task to produce viable solutions for rural areas. This needs the cooperation of experts from different fields, countries and even continents.

On the way to reaching its targets, NET4DC has built strategic partnerships with various European and African Companies, SMEs and research Institutes.

Some of these partners are:

  • An alliance of science, technology and innovation institutions

    The GRA comprises nine of the world’s most prestigious science, technology and innovation (STI) institutions, from the north and the south and the east and the west. It harnesses a global knowledge pool to contribute to global good issues through projects with a magnitude and complexity that transcend the capabilities of any single organisation. The GRA developed its goal of “A Global Knowledge Pool for Global Good” through the meeting of minds of nine leaders of knowledge-intensive technology organisations from around the world and formally launched the Alliance in January 2003.

  • The only next generation network covering the majority of the European Union

    Interoute's network is the largest in Europe today, offering unparalleled homogeneity, reach and capacity. Our products and services include bandwidth, virtual private networks, high speed internet access and transit, managed hosting, communications services and media streaming. Our fibre optic network, consists of twelve rings connecting 90 cities in 24 countries across 57,000+ route kilometres of lit fibre and has the capacity to carry a petabit (a billion megabits per second) of traffic. We have also built metropolitan area networks (MANs) in 21 major European centres of business with further cities planned during 2009. The company's combined network assets represent one of the largest and most advanced voice and data networks in Europe.

  • A cooperative organization from Zambia that provides communications infrastructure and services in rural areas

    LinkNet, located in rural Zambia, has embarked on a unique innovative approach specific to rural areas in Africa. The organisation uses current technological ICT capabilities to make access to the internet possible in rural areas. Besides, local ICT specialists are being trained and an infrastructure is offered to exchange knowledge and experiences. LinkNet uses current ICT capabilities as basis for development. Being the first cooperative organisation for ICT, LinkNet plays an innovative role in Zambia. It aims at the knowledge and research specifically in a rural area in order to realise strong local integration. LinkNet is owned by rural institutions, which creates a vested interest for all stakeholders like health institutes, the chief from the region and other community members. Because the local community is owner of the technology, an essential condition for sustainable exploitation is fulfilled. This cooperative structure has been elaborated successfully over the years and is officially registered in Zambia.

  • A unit of the leading multidisciplinary research institute CSIR in South Africa

    The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was established in 1945 and is the leading national multidisciplinary research institution in South Africa and works closely with government and industry, specifically with the national Department of Science and Technology. The Meraka Institute is a unit of the CSIR. Its major objective is to facilitate national economic and social development through human capital development and needs-based research and innovation, leading to products and services based on Information and Communication Technology.

  • An centre of innovation in information and communication technology in the Netherlands

    TNO Information and Communication Technology is an unique centre of innovation in the Netherlands that brings together the ICT and Telecom disciplines of TNO. We help companies, government bodies and (semi-)public organisations to realise successful innovations in ICT. Value creation for clients is our priority, and our added value lies in the combination of innovative strength and in-depth knowledge. Our approach to innovation is integrated and practical. Our research involves more than the technologies themselves. Where necessary, we also focus on user-friendliness, financial aspects, and business processes. We support the implementation process by carrying out technical and market trials. We are also specialists in innovation strategy and policy, and our extensive ICT expertise is a valuable resource that can be used to address issues in the wider community.

  • One of the leading satellite operators in the world that provides broadcasting and data services over geo-satellites

    Turksat International Satellite and Cable TV Operator is one of the leading satellite operators in the world that provides broadcasting and data services over geo-satellites. Turksat has been established in 2004 and employs about 550 professionals in its main campus in Ankara and in local offices all around Turkey. Its field of activities is divided into three main areas: Satellite Services, Cable Services and ICT Services such as e-government and e-education through VSAT applications.

  • A provider of long-distance terrestrial free-space optical communication link solutions

    ViaLight Communications (VLC) provides solutions in the field of long-distance terrestrial free-space optical communication links and links from and between mobile platforms. VLC-staff have a strong heritage of more than 10 years of research and a significant number of world-first demonstrations in the field of mobile optical free-space communications. VLC has access to resources of DLR's Institute of Communications and Navigation through a cooperation agreement (in preparation).

  • A globally networked multitechnological contract research organization in Finland

    VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is a governmental multidisciplinary expert organisation that carries out technical and techno-economic research and development work. With approx. 2700 employees, VTT provides a wide range of technology and applied research services for its clients - private companies, institutions and the public sector. In the telecommunications field, VTT is working on methods and algorithms needed in realisation of telecommunication networks, wireless services, architectures as well as on implementation technologies for network elements and terminals.