TSSG Brings Opium to China

By: Margaret Grene

Speaking after his return from a meeting of the TSSG led Opium project in China Gary McManus, the Opium Project Manager said:
"It was an excellent opportunity to forge links with our research colleagues in China. In Chinese culture, as indeed in any culture, face-to-face meetings are an important way to build good working relationships."

This meeting also provided the opportunity to meet with the head of the EU delegation in China who is actively involved in strengthening links between European and Chinese research. The Opium research project was established with the support of the European Commission almost two years ago to validate the introduction of new wireless based applications in Europe - based on a combination of new wireless protocols (GPRS and UMTS).

Now, following a successful review by the Commission and presentation of its research results at a recent workshop in Berlin, the project is set to ensure that these results are integrated into new projects and relevant standards going forward.

With nineteen project partners worldwide the project has been run via virtual collaboration over the Internet, teleconferences and three-monthly meetings. Research is, by its very nature a collaborative process and these meetings provide a cornerstone to the collaborative work.

Front row left to right: Li Jun(ZTE), Juan Francesco Lopez (Vodafone Spain), Philippe Cousin (ETSI, France, Head of Interoperability), Gary Mc Manus (WIT, Ireland, OPIUM Project Manager), Jurgen Sanders (Delegation of the European Commission), Shen Yaqin (TMC), Cui Xiaohui (EU delegation, Assistant to Mr. Sanders)