UCLan is proud to host two of the first Media Access Bureaus in the Northwest

THE Northern Way and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) have invested £15m in the NorthernNET project managed by the Northwest Vision and Media and ADIT who have created a network of Media Access Bureaus (MABs).

The network will revolutionise the Digital and Creative industries in the Northwest by providing a high speed telecommunication network of 100Mbs. The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is proud to host one of the thirteen current MABs in their state of the art Media Factory and looks forward to opening another at their Burnley campus is 2010.

The aim of the NorthernNET Innovation and Collaboration Programme is to encourage sector innovation and collaboration to develop a robust, competitive supply chain which will elevate the North to become a leading force in the European media industry.

Phil Holifield, head of enterprise in the faculty commented: “The NorthernNET project will link Preston’s Media Factory and the Burnley campus with high speed networking to other sites in the North including MediaCityUK at Salford Quays.  It will provide the Northwest’s Digital and Creative sector with technology to create and transport content at high speed.  Giving the SMEs we support access to such advanced technology will really help them to grow and work with major clients, further developing the industry in the North.”

UCLan’s Media Access Bureau will offer pay-as-you-go connections to the network, for the first time ever, allowing large files to be sent at much faster speeds via a direct connection. MABs are also providing a range of equipment for creation, editing, archive and distribution of digital content; UCLan boasts all of this under one state of the art roof – the modern Media Factory which opened in 2008.

NorthernNET is live and happening now, get involved. To find out more information follow the project on twitter www.twitter.com/northernnet

08 January 2010