Author: Paul M Tate

As part of managing a demerger of a distribution company, we re-worked and transferred the Epicor Scala accounting systems to the requirements of the new parent company. Procured all new infrastructure including purchasing new telecoms (switchboard, fibre links, broadband internet), computing – Microsoft Windows network, workstations and home working capabilities – and desking.

In the autumn of 2003, ORB was created to “light up Oxfordshire”, at this time 40+ of the 89 Oxfordshire exchanges were not about to be upgraded any time soon. ORB put a business plan together to put several linked wireless networks together around the county. This plan was being submitted to SEEDA (the regional development authority) in late November. On 17^th November 2002 BT announced trigger levels for the remaining viable exchanges (leaving about 300 without). This unfortunately stopped ORB’s campaign in its tracks.

However part of ORB;’s business plan was accepted by the West Oxfordshire Network, who had some European funding available via LEADER+. With matched funding for SEEDA ORB was presented with £56,000 to create a broadband network for the Shipton and Kingham exchanges in West Oxfordshire. The full story can be found here http://www.oxonrb.net

The network was live providing broadband two years before BT arrived.

The network was put together by Adrian Wooster (http://www.great-technology-company.co.uk ) and PMTate BSc FCA using both 5.8GHz and 2.4GHz devices with a 5.8GHz backbone using Lancom units and 4g system meshcubes.

As part of the ORB project we had to procure a range of IT equipment to create a large outdoor WiFi network using both 2.4Ghz and 5.8GHz technology.

This process now allows us to source most IT equipment at reasonable prices with the added advantage that we can also install it into your own infrastructure for a reasonable fee.