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Telecom and ICT service provider KPN and TU Eindhoven have started to collaborate in the development of high-quality technology for the telecom sector. Software, data analytics, and artificial intelligence, for example, will play a great role in this. KPN and TU/e want to strengthen each other in this area within Flagship Telecom.

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Tom Poelhekken, Chief Technology Officer at KPN, expects a lot from the TU/e-research on Wi-Fi techniques. “Soon we will have 4k and soon after that even 8k TV, it will become more and more difficult to even bring information in your home from room to room but also to the internet. So we are urgently looking for technologies to help us move forward. Unlimited amounts of bandwidth, less interference, much more focused: these are applicable products that we will be able to embrace in about 15 years’ time.”

The strategic partnership is centered around four TU/e cross-faculty centers: Center for Wireless Technology (CWTe Lab), Data Science Center Eindhoven (DSC/e), Smart Cities Program and the Institute for Photonic Integration. It is the intention that the cooperation will eventually provide room for sixteen PhD positions for TU/e-students. Director Ton Backx of the photonics institute: “The TU/e will be an extension of KPN in the field of research. We will focus on solving problems that are important to society.”

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The collaboration was confirmed by both sides last summer. Jan Mengelers, chairman of the board at TU/e: “Thanks to the collaboration with KPN, our researchers, and PhD students can support the dynamic telecom market with their research and get the opportunity to develop high-quality telecom technology in the internet-of-everything era.”

Joost Farwerck, COO and member of the Executive Board of KPN: “This joint effort will contribute to the further development of talent within KPN and will help us to respond to exponential and disruptive technologies of the future. Interaction with TU/e-students and cooperation with four major university technology centers are an important source of inspiration for the development of new products and technologies.”