Encompass Connects UK To Classrooms In The Gambia

Encompass Digital Media has announced the completion of the world's first broadcast of a digital shortwave school lesson with the transmission of interactive maths content from the UK to students in The Gambia - almost 4,000km away.

Developed in collaboration with members of the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) consortium, the broadcast is a major milestone in improving access to education in regions with limited or no connectivity.

The technology uses shortwave digital radio to deliver the lesson materials, including text, images and quizzes designed to support interactive learning, which are then stored in the radio and served to student devices over a WiFi hotspot. As the technology only requires a single transmitter thousands of miles away, the lessons can be delivered entirely remotely, or supported by teachers locally.

The trial formed part of a wider Encompass initiative to explore new uses for digital shortwave and used just a single shortwave transmitter to deliver multimedia-rich educational content. Designed by Starwaves, the receiver includes built-in storage and creates a local Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing students to access lessons via their own devices. This means schools with no internet connection or limited teaching resources can still deliver interactive digital learning experiences.

As part of the trial, Encompass donated a set of tablets to the participating school to support the pilot broadcast. Content was delivered using Journaline, a multimedia data service developed by Fraunhofer. Encompass planned and designed the digital shortwave transmission to achieve maximum resilience, even under poor reception conditions.

As well as enabling self-guided or teacher-assisted study in schools, the platform has the potential to support training and communication in other sectors, from healthcare to humanitarian aid and religious education. Because it does not rely on local infrastructure, the system can also be deployed in disaster zones, war-affected areas or regions with restricted media access.

"Shortwave may be seen by many as a legacy technology, but it's never been more relevant," said Paul Firth, Managing Director, APAC & EMEA. "This project shows how digital radio can be used in entirely new ways to connect and empower communities that the internet still doesn't reach.'

Encompass is the largest operator of shortwave infrastructure globally and has been closely involved in the development of DRM since its inception. The company has recently supported emergency broadcasts to Ukraine and Myanmar, highlighting the enduring value of shortwave as a resilient, hard-to-block communications platform.

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