TalTech will open a new fiber optic communications and sensor lab on the 6th of March, built in collaboration with Tele2 Estonia. This lab is an important step in the development of digital infrastructure in Estonia and the Baltics and offers students and engineers a unique opportunity to learn and explore high-performance communications and infrastructure monitoring solutions.
Recently, cable damage and failures in the Baltic Sea have increased, further confirming the need for secure and resilient communication networks. TalTech's new laboratory focuses on the reliability of fiber optic communication networks and allows for practical training and research to increase knowledge and develop solutions that help prevent and detect disruptions to critical infrastructure.
The laboratory is particularly important for students of TalTech's Master's degree program in Network Technologies and Services, as it offers them a practical outlet and an opportunity to improve their knowledge. In addition, Estonian communications engineers and researchers can also use this opportunity to study and test the compatibility, reliability, and immunity of modern optical networks.
The opening of the laboratory also marks a major step towards monitoring critical infrastructure. Various optical sensor technologies enable the detection and proactive response to factors that may threaten cables, thereby helping to prevent large-scale damage. Such cooperation helps ensure the sustainability of Estonia's digital state and strengthen the technological capabilities of this region.
Marko Tikas, Team Leader, Backbone Networks, Tele2 Estonia
Optical infrastructure is not only important in mobile communications and home internet connections, but also in the control systems of vital services, such as electricity, gas and water networks. Cooperation with TalTech allows us to develop next-generation communication networks and ensure their reliability and security.
Kaida Kaeval, Head, Optical Communications and Sensors Research Group and Senior Researcher, TalTech
The laboratory creates an opportunity to promote research in communications technologies and sensors in Estonia. It provides students and specialists with a practical environment to test new technologies and supports innovation in infrastructure monitoring and development.