Matthew Grech, a young member of GO’s broadband access networks team, has won the prestigious Ericsson Award for Excellence in Telecommunications, organised by Ericsson’s local company in Greece, Ericsson Hellas, in conjunction with the University of Malta. Six theses with a mix of technology-focused papers from both graduate and post-graduate students achieved the award after being selected from a considerable number of submissions.
Mr Grech, who read for an engineering degree at the University’s Communications and Computer Engineering Department, won the award by submitting his postgraduate dissertation: Utility Meter Monitoring over a Wireless Channel developed on an innovative consumer-based system that targets cutting 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 the telecommunications field.
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.
“GO is indeed delighted with the success achieved by our employee, Matthew Grech and we are confident that he will benefit tremendously from the unique experience at Ericsson headquarters in direct contact with one of the leaders in the telecom industry worldwide,” said Ing. Joe Bugeja who heads GO’s technical operations.
“Our company boasts a long history of close relations with Ericsson, commencing with the implementation of an international exchange and operator subsystem for Malta way back in 1989. At a later date, Ericsson was responsible for the digitalisation and expansion of the 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,” he said.
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. 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 a feel of the most cutting-edge telecom achievements,” said Maria Boura, head of communications and marketing, Ericsson southeast Europe.