BT Research
Encyclopedia
BT Research is part of the BT Innovate & Design division of BT Group
, a provider of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries.
The organisation embodies an 'open innovation
' approach, drawing on external resources such as partnerships with universities, suppliers, partners, customers and start-ups to complement the value of BT's internal research and innovation programme. BT Group
is also a partner in collaborative research projects that are part of the UK's Technology Strategy Board
programme, the EU
Seventh Framework Programme, and the EU Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme
.
BT's main research facility is located in the United Kingdom at Adastral Park
, near Ipswich
in the county of Suffolk
. The Adastral Park site was first opened in 1975 and has grown since then to a facility today which has around 4,000 research and development people from both BT and some of its partner companies. Globally, BT has additional research labs in Beijing, Boston MA and Abu Dhabi. The focus of research at BT is Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
The Royal Air Force
were the original residents of the site in Suffolk at RAF Martlesham Heath
. Experimental aircraft test flights flew from the airfield and the name (Adastral Park) is intended to reflect the history of experimentation and innovation, which is the continuing focus for the Park.
in the UK, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) in the USA and Tsinghua University
in China. BT also leads the India-UK Advanced Technology Centre, a consortium of 22 Indian and UK industry and academic partners conducting breakthrough research into current and next generation fixed and wireless communications.
at Dollis Hill
, London. In 1968 BT began the move of its research to the new site at Martlesham Heath
in Suffolk
. By late 1969 small teams of researchers were working at Martlesham. The first new research building was formally opened on 21 November 1975 by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
. The architect was Mr S. Spielrein. The new building housed 1,700 people.
, the world's first viewdata network.
1982 [April] - Europe's first satellite transmission service was launched with Adastral Park's Satellite dishes beamed the television signals to the Orbital Test Satellite
, run by Eutelsat
, allowing Finnish and Norwegian viewers to receive the (English language) signals.
1987 [August] - the world's first instantaneous translation of speech by computer was unveiled by BT's research laboratories.
1995 [June] - BT research designed and developed a Video on demand
service, which was trialled in the local area [Ipswich - Colchester], with 2,500 customers. It used asymmetric digital subscriber line
(ADSL) over copper cables, with a set top box supplied by Apple. - article on trial
1999 [July] - BT announced that it had pushed commercial optical fibre transmission to 80Gbit/s. BT labs demonstrated the world's fastest regenerator - a photonic digital network component.
2002 [June] - Research and development teams designed and deployed a suite of new business systems allowing the launch of the UK's first commercial broadband internet access service.
2006 [October] - BT implemented the world's first fully automated 'spam buster' system to track down and tackle professional spammers and 'botnet'-infected customers on the BT broadband network.
2011 [July] - BT Researchers working in collaboration with University research teams in the UK, US, China and Australia examined and reported on, how communications technology is changing how people live their lives, at home and at work, young and old.
BT Group
BT Group plc is a global telecommunications services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest telecommunications services companies in the world and has operations in more than 170 countries. Through its BT Global Services division it is a major supplier of...
, a provider of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries.
The organisation embodies an 'open innovation
Open Innovation
Although the idea and discussion about some consequences date back at least to the 60s, open innovation is a term promoted by Henry Chesbrough, a professor and executive director at the Center for Open Innovation at the University of California, Berkeley, in his book Open Innovation: The new...
' approach, drawing on external resources such as partnerships with universities, suppliers, partners, customers and start-ups to complement the value of BT's internal research and innovation programme. BT Group
BT Group
BT Group plc is a global telecommunications services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest telecommunications services companies in the world and has operations in more than 170 countries. Through its BT Global Services division it is a major supplier of...
is also a partner in collaborative research projects that are part of the UK's Technology Strategy Board
Technology Strategy Board
The Technology Strategy Board is a UK public body operating at arm's length from the Government reporting to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills .- History :...
programme, the EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
Seventh Framework Programme, and the EU Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme
Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme
The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme of the European Commission is meant to improve the competitiveness of European companies facing the challenges of globalization. The programme is mainly aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises , which will receive support for innovation...
.
Location
Adastral Park
Adastral Park is a science campus based at Martlesham Heath near Ipswich in the English county of Suffolk.When the site opened it was known as the Post Office Research Station, but it was subsequently renamed BT Research Laboratories or BT Labs and later Adastral Park to reflect an expansion in the...
, near Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
in the county of Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. The Adastral Park site was first opened in 1975 and has grown since then to a facility today which has around 4,000 research and development people from both BT and some of its partner companies. Globally, BT has additional research labs in Beijing, Boston MA and Abu Dhabi. The focus of research at BT is Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
The Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
were the original residents of the site in Suffolk at RAF Martlesham Heath
RAF Martlesham Heath
RAF Martlesham Heath is a former Royal Air Force airfield in England. The field is located 1½ miles SW of Woodbridge, Suffolk.- RFC/RAF prewar use:Martlesham Heath was first used as a Royal Flying Corps airfield during World War I...
. Experimental aircraft test flights flew from the airfield and the name (Adastral Park) is intended to reflect the history of experimentation and innovation, which is the continuing focus for the Park.
Current research themes
Major theme areas are;- Future of the Internet and network transformation
- Mobility and convergence
- Future of the Web and semantic intelligence
- Information and security systems
- Customer service and systems
- The digital home and sociable communications
Academic research partners
BT works closely with both academics and students in over 20 institutions globally and has strong partnerships with the University of CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in the UK, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
(MIT) in the USA and Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University , colloquially known in Chinese as Qinghua, is a university in Beijing, China. The school is one of the nine universities of the C9 League. It was established in 1911 under the name "Tsinghua Xuetang" or "Tsinghua College" and was renamed the "Tsinghua School" one year later...
in China. BT also leads the India-UK Advanced Technology Centre, a consortium of 22 Indian and UK industry and academic partners conducting breakthrough research into current and next generation fixed and wireless communications.
History
Research in the company was first established in 1921 at the Post Office Research StationPost Office Research Station
The Post Office Research Station at Dollis Hill, London, was first established in 1921 and opened by Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald in 1933.In 1943 the world's first programmable electronic computer, Colossus Mark 1 was built by Tommy Flowers and his team, followed in 1944 and 1945 by nine...
at Dollis Hill
Dollis Hill
Dollis Hill is an area of north-west London. It lies close to Willesden, in the London Borough of Brent. As a result, Dollis Hill is sometimes referred as being part of Willesden, especially by the national press...
, London. In 1968 BT began the move of its research to the new site at Martlesham Heath
Martlesham Heath
Martlesham Heath village is situated 6 miles east of Ipswich, in Suffolk, England. This was an ancient area of heathland and latterly the site of Martlesham Heath Airfield...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. By late 1969 small teams of researchers were working at Martlesham. The first new research building was formally opened on 21 November 1975 by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
. The architect was Mr S. Spielrein. The new building housed 1,700 people.
Recent Innovations coming from Adastral Park
1979 [September] - BT/PO launched PrestelPrestel
Prestel , the brand name for the UK Post Office's Viewdata technology, was an interactive videotex system developed during the late 1970s and commercially launched in 1979...
, the world's first viewdata network.
1982 [April] - Europe's first satellite transmission service was launched with Adastral Park's Satellite dishes beamed the television signals to the Orbital Test Satellite
Orbital Test Satellite
The Orbital Test Satellite programme was an experimental satellite system inherited by the ESA in 1975 from its predecessor, the European Space Research Organization ....
, run by Eutelsat
Eutelsat
Eutelsat S.A. is a French-based satellite provider. Providing coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, it is one of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues.Eutelsat’s satellites...
, allowing Finnish and Norwegian viewers to receive the (English language) signals.
1987 [August] - the world's first instantaneous translation of speech by computer was unveiled by BT's research laboratories.
1995 [June] - BT research designed and developed a Video on demand
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
service, which was trialled in the local area [Ipswich - Colchester], with 2,500 customers. It used asymmetric digital subscriber line
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
Asymmetric digital subscriber line is a type of digital subscriber line technology, a data communications technology that enables faster data transmission over copper telephone lines than a conventional voiceband modem can provide. It does this by utilizing frequencies that are not used by a voice...
(ADSL) over copper cables, with a set top box supplied by Apple. - article on trial
1999 [July] - BT announced that it had pushed commercial optical fibre transmission to 80Gbit/s. BT labs demonstrated the world's fastest regenerator - a photonic digital network component.
2002 [June] - Research and development teams designed and deployed a suite of new business systems allowing the launch of the UK's first commercial broadband internet access service.
2006 [October] - BT implemented the world's first fully automated 'spam buster' system to track down and tackle professional spammers and 'botnet'-infected customers on the BT broadband network.
2011 [July] - BT Researchers working in collaboration with University research teams in the UK, US, China and Australia examined and reported on, how communications technology is changing how people live their lives, at home and at work, young and old.
External links
Articles
Video clips
- Peter Cochrane on Inside Out
- Collaboration with the MIT Media LabMIT Media LabThe MIT Media Lab is a laboratory of MIT School of Architecture and Planning. Devoted to research projects at the convergence of design, multimedia and technology, the Media Lab has been widely popularized since the 1990s by business and technology publications such as Wired and Red Herring for a...
- Collaboration with Energizer