Dorset-based tech firms collaborate to create the world’s best connected free-to-use device lab, with a brand new dedicated 1Gb line. With over 400 mobile, tablet and wearable devices available, the Open Device Lab based in Bournemouth is part of a global community initiative designed to provide free and easy access to internet enabled devices for testing and development. The collaboration is one more reason why the UK’s Silicon South is on the international radar for technology innovation.
Back in February 2015, the TechNation report highlighted the rocketing digital economy of Bournemouth. Since then, Bournemouth hasn’t been out of the media spotlight.
Starts-up are Flocking to Silicon Valley
In continued support for the area’s exciting growth, product innovation and service design consultants We Are Base and leading data centre and connectivity specialists C4L are launching a unique collaboration, giving start-ups even more reason to base themselves in Silicon South.
In October 2015 Open Device Lab Bournemouth – hosted by We Are Base – will become the best connected lab in the world, with a brand new dedicated 1Gb line from C4L. This super-fast broadband connectivity will be available to use for free via the lab’s 400-strong device collection for all bookings at the lab. The Lab was launched by We Are Base in July 2013 and became the largest lab of its kind in the world in November 2013.
Support Infrastructure and Network for the Lab
The Lab is supported by WDS, A Xerox Company that supply a regularly updated collection of mobile, tablet and wearable devices to the lab. WDS are innovators in customer experience, working with the latest artificial intelligence technology to improve the way customers interact with brands.
Speaking on Friday at Re:Develop – Silicon South’s leading tech conference – C4L Founder and Chairman Matt Hawkins and Developer Evangelist Jonathan Ginn from We Are Base shared the exciting news with an audience of over 200 developers, technical leads and development staff.
The Open Device Lab is a completely free-to-use resource in the heart of Bournemouth for testing and developing on modern devices. At its simplest, it provides a community pool of devices for anyone to book and use. Open Device Labs have appeared around the globe as part of a movement to provide easy access to an ever increasing array of consumer devices.
C4L’s Hawkins said: “It makes complete sense for C4L to sponsor the Open Device Lab Bournemouth, and I am pleased to have been able to join Base and WDS to back this initiative to support the tech community. At C4L we’ve supported start-ups for a long time and this is a demonstration of our continued commitment“.
C4L has committed to supporting the device lab for 3 years.
Tom Quay, Founder and Managing Director at We Are Base, comments “We’ve been able to take advantage of incentives from the UK government to get the line installed, and C4L have taken care of everything else. They understand what it takes to create the vibrant ecosystem we have in Bournemouth, and their support will help have a huge impact on a lot of the innovation happening here on the coast”.
With collaboration like this in not-so-sleepy Dorset, these established technology firms are giving Bournemouth every chance to continue to accelerate its phenomenal growth.
About C4L
C4L is a leading data centre colocation and connectivity solutions provider, with access to over 100 UK data centres and more than 300 globally. C4L offer a range of services including colocation, connectivity, cloud and communications. C4L own a data centre located on the South West coast and a fully privately owned, high-capacity, 1-100Gb fibre-optic network. This high performance MPLS network, called coreTX, links multiple data centres across the UK through a diverse fibre optic backbone, utilising routing and switching equipment from Juniper Networks, underpinned by A10 Thunder Protection System DDoS protection and mitigation appliances.
C4L clients include government agencies, FTSE 250 companies, international financial institutions, system integrators, top 100 VARs, resellers and many of the UK’s network carriers. C4L’s entire business is committed to customer satisfaction and quality of service and has achieved certifications such as ISO9001 & 27001 to demonstrate this. C4L is a Megabuyte Top 50 Company, HSBC South West Business Thinking initiative Winner, a Deloitte Technology Fast 50 and Fast 500 EMEA Company, as well as a Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100 company.
