Brand Communications Helps Bring The Fun Into Learning With Mobile Data

The 'Big Top Learning Gateway' Project is an Education Resource for the 21st Century

Huntingdon, UK, 9th October 2000

Remote Access Specialists - Brand Communications today announced it’s involvement with the ‘Big Top Learning Gateway’. This project was devised by South Birmingham College, as an Education Resource designed as a funfair attraction. The project’s aim was to reach out to those who find it difficult to attend the traditional education system and it enables the visitors to learn new IT skills and build upon those they already possess in a non-threatening environment.

The Mobile Learning Centre is sited on a 40ft specially adapted trailer. The trailer has 12 workstations installed. The ‘Big Top Learning Gateway’ will use Brand’s Apollo solution to access South Birmingham College’s LAN via Orange’s HSCSD technology.

Brand has provided an Apollo Evolution BRI server which enables all workstations within the mobile vehicle to access South Birmingham College’s LAN. The Brand Emulator software, used in conjunction with the Nokia Card Phone II, dials up and connects to the college allowing data to be transmitted at 28.8kps using Orange’s cutting edge technology HSCSD (high speed circuit switched data). Orange’s HSCSD is typically 3 times faster than other mobile network’s circuit switched data, and also the GPRS speeds that are available today. With Brand’s unique spoofing technology there is no need to continually log in and off when there is no data being sent or received. Apollo releases the phone line which is transparent to the user, so all the information stays in place as if they were still on-line. This dramatically reduces the costs of the phone bills.

The Big Top Learning Gateway was officially launched September in Birmingham, by Mr. Michael Willis, Under Secretary for Education and Technology. Dr Anne Wright also attended and gave an introduction to LearnDirect, and she commented "We are very proud that the Big Top Learning Gateway is playing such an important role in UK Online. FFI’s Learndirect is at the forefront of this revolution and the Big Top is one of the most exciting centres in our e-learning network. It will put the fun back into learning and is thought that it will draw all sorts of people who would not usually think that learning is for them." She went on to say, "Like all LearnDirect centres it will be using the internet to open up a huge range of courses, which people can use at the centre, at home, at work or anywhere that they can get on-line. It is the classroom of the future, a mobile internet learning centre that has been designed to tour the region with one if it’s leading funfairs."

Martin Kendrick, MD of Brand summarised "This project is so important, Mobile Data Communications gives everybody the opportunity to be introduced to the world of computers and the internet, and Brand are delighted to be associated with such a beneficial project."

More than 10,000 people visit Robert Wilkinson Funfairs every week and the ‘Big Top Learning Gateway’ will provide a fun learning experience for all those involved. Virtual Makeovers, Games, Competitions and family learning weeks are all things planned for the future using the Big Top.

About Brand Communications

Brand Communications is a global leader in mobile data and remote access solutions. We develop, manufacture and market a range of leading mobile, remote office and site-to-site access solutions for all environments including ISDN, PSTN, Fixed Lines, Satellite, GSM and GPRS.

Apollo has helped to significantly grow the number of active GSM data users worldwide and has delivered tangible paybacks to many networks and their users. Apollo continues to deliver such rich benefits to HSCSD, GPRS and 3G networks. More information can be found at http://www.brandcomms.com

About The Big Top Learning Gateway

IT on tour – that’s the vision behind the Big Top Learning Gateway, an ICT education resource designed as a funfair attraction. Its tour of the Midlands, as part of Robert Wilkinson Funfairs, invites people to ride the information superhighway by night, and by day it is portal for learning in every conceivable subject area.

For further information on Brand Communications Ltd, contact:

Miss Katie Sarah Ruff
Brand Communications Limited
Trinity House
Ermine Business Park
Huntingdon
Cambs, PE29 6XY

Tel: +44 (0)1480 442100   Email: katier@brandcomms.com
Media Imagery is Available on Request.