Dr. Rouzbeh Yassini founded the University of New Hampshire’s Broadband Center of Excellence (BCoE) with the transfer in 2012 of the YAS Broadband Knowledge Center (YBKC), a $10 million, state-of-the-art facility that itself was founded by Dr. Yassini in 2008. 

The goal of UNH BCoE is to continue the YBKC dream at UNH : To advance, promote and enable broadband to be deployed ubiquitously to power economic growth and contribute to global societal improvements.. Its vision is that broadband technology, products and services will continue to shape society and the world in which we live. 

UNH BCoE carries on the heritage of the YKBC as a living, working, visitor-friendly showcase and resource organization representing the past, present and future of broadband. BCoE’s goals are to enable all – government, universities, communities and industry participants – to use broadband as a tool to create economic growth, societal improvements and business success. 

The Center leverages UNH resources, research and technology expertise, and process and policy tools to support advances in broadband services and capabilities. UNH BCoE is led by cable modem pioneer Dr. Rouzbeh Yassini and technology experts who were the early pioneers in the development of broadband (cable modem, DSL, IP set-top box, home networking and TV platforms.) 

UNH is a university community that is at the forefront of broadband technologies with ongoing campus-wide and statewide broadband initiatives and is home to the UNH Interoperability Laboratory, a world-recognized independent and vendor-neutral networking and data communications product testing facility.

Strategic Goals

UNH BCoE’s strategic goals are to expand the reach of broadband and make it a ubiquitous service available to everyone, everywhere. The UNH BCoE focuses on these charter elements intended to promote and propagate affordable broadband services and technologies:

• Wireless networks: One example of this collaborative research approach is the evaluation by BCoE and other UNH departments of a broadband wireless technology called TV White Space. TVWS has shown promise as a possible broadband delivery platform for rural residents during testing on the UNH campus and elsewhere in Durham, NH. 
   
• Smart Campus: Promote UNH as a fully-broadband enabled university “Smart Campus” and thought leader. Collaborate with other UNH departments to establish a curriculum on broadband.
   
• Technology and Public Policy: Engage world technology and policy leaders to expand broadband research and security. Work with officials at the local, state and national levels to be the de facto unbiased factual data for all broadband initiatives
   
• Collaboration: Support New Hampshire’s and other states’ broadband authorities “public and private” initiatives. Seek to collaborate with other universities to expand broadband and to ensure the delivery of services and bandwidth are via technologically state of the art, affordable systems. 
   

Areas of focus include:

• Technology enabling affordable broadband access for those who are unserved or underserved