Matthew Grech, a young member of Go's broadband access networks team, has landed the prestigious Ericsson Award for Excellence in Telecommunications. The award is organised by Ericsson's local company in Greece - Ericsson Hellas - in conjunction with the University of Malta.
A total of six theses with a mix of technology-focused papers from graduate and post-graduate students were selected under the award scheme.
Mr Grech, who read for an engineering degree at the university's Communications and Computer Engineering Department, won the award with his post-graduate dissertation: "Utility Meter Monitoring over a Wireless Channel" developed on an innovative, consumer-based system that aims to cut costs, time and labour via telecommunications.
The Ericsson Award of Excellence scheme, running into the third year since its inception in Malta, now enjoys tremendous popularity on campus, especially among students reading for degrees in communications, engineering, computer engineering and technology-related subjects. The initiative's primary aim at a local level is to recognise and reward Maltese students for their drive, creativity and business acumen in telecommunications.
Awarded students receive an honorary commendation as well as a cheque in symbolic recognition of their efforts. By far the most attractive incentive of the award scheme consists in a two-day visit to the Ericsson headquarters in Sweden.
Ing. Joe Bugeja, who heads Go's technical operations, said: "Our company boasts a long history of close relations with Ericsson starting with the implementation of an international exchange and operator sub-system for Malta in 1989. Later on, Ericsson was responsible for the digitalisation and expansion of fixed line network of Go's predecessor, Maltacom.
"Under the most recent contract between the two companies, Ericsson upgraded Maltacom's core network from circuit-switched technology to an IP-based softswitch solution, making it possible for us today to offer customers a range of innovative services based on IP technology."
The winning students, along with their parents and supervising professors, attended the presentation organised by Ericsson in Malta.
"We believe that the Ericsson Awards of Excellence contribute towards stimulating awareness on the growing importance of technology vis-à-vis telecommunications," Maria Boura, head of communications and marketing for Ericsson Southeast Europe, said.
"Most of all, the two-day visit to Sweden helps tremendously in enhancing the telecommunications experience of the awarded students giving them hands-on information on the latest technology trends and giving them a feel of the most cuttingedge telecom achievements."