Intune to unveil future of high-speed networks at Snow Patrol gig

30 Nov 2009

Next weekend the scenic town of Dingle will be the backdrop for a world-first showing of the laser-based next-generation network (NGN) technology that Intune Technologies will roll out across the rest of the world.

RTE’s popular Other Voices programme, which captures rare performances from celebrated artists from St James’ Church in Dingle, will provide the test bed for the world-changing communications technology developed by Intune.

Government-chosen

The Irish Government this year selected Intune to build the Exemplar Network that will be the route through which the future of global fibre and wireless communications may travel. The company is creating more than 300 new jobs on the back of the deal.

The demo will involve live, high-definition streaming from the Snow Patrol concert in the church to a number of locations in Dingle connected to a fibre-optic network.

For example, the concert can be viewed live in high definition on screens located in Benners Hotel, or by connecting into to a local Wi-Fi spot using a laptop or mobile device. Several other technology providers supplied user-access equipment to connect to the Intune network, including Envivio, Magnet and ADB.

What makes this different to a normal broadcast is that it is delivered over an optical burst packet switched fibre network and guarantees uninterrupted, premium-quality content – something that has been unachievable before now.

Platform suitable for Intel

“The Other Voices event in Dingle is the perfect platform to demonstrate and showcase Intune’s technology for the very first time,” Intune’s CEO Tim Fritzley explained.

“The technology was invented and developed in Ireland and it is fitting that a cultural event like Other Voices and world-renowned band Snow Patrol have partnered with us for this demonstration. This combination will help underpin Ireland’s international reputation as a vibrant, dynamic, innovative society that values its living traditional and future technical cultures.

“More of life is shared and accessed on the internet than any other medium and that trend will continue unabated with internet traffic doubling every two years.

“The world will need a next-generation optical burst switch such as Intune Networks’ that will deliver the quality of personal experience that everyone has come to expect. Our technology will do this with a very low carbon footprint, as it tackles the issue of the internet’s power consumption, which continues to dramatically rise with the increased use of existing network equipment,” Fritzley said.

Other Voices‘ background

Since 2002, Other Voices has been bringing established international and Irish musicians and emerging talent of every musical genre to Dingle, Co Kerry, to participate in a series of off-season recorded sessions at St James’ Church.

Now in its eighth year, Other Voices has grown over the years but it has always remained true to its core and continues to be an exhilarating gathering of musical minds.

By John Kennedy

Photo: John Dunne, chief marketing officer, Tim Fritzley, CEO, and Tom Farrell, chief technology officer at Intune Networks.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com