TELABRIA, an award-winning provider of wireless network solutions to rural, urban and enterprise markets, has teamed up with learndirect to bring online training resources to rural and remote communities.

The partnership will give residents and businesses in areas unable to obtain a broadband Internet service the opportunity to access more than 900 training courses, including IT, business and management skills, and languages, online.

The training courses will be delivered via Telabria's RuralMesh, a wireless network that uses mesh radio technology to deploy broadband Internet. RuralMesh is subscribed to by residential and business communities who do not have a broadband-enabled telephone exchange, or are too far from an enabled exchange to receive ADSL.

Jim Baker, Telabria founder and chief executive, said: "RuralMesh was developed specifically for communities, and we are delighted the technology is being used to help more individuals access the huge range of training courses on offer from Learndirect."

Garrie Owens, chief executive of learninvicta, the Kent and Medway hub of learndirect, said: "Our partnership with Telabria is great news for Learninvicta and learndirect.

“Their technology will help us deliver the right training resources to more people and to those who need and want it most, for example, rural businesses, those wanting to change career, the long-term unemployed and mums returning to work.

"By using Telabria's innovative wireless technology RuralMesh, we will be opening a whole new world for people, providing them with the opportunity to broaden their skills and further their learning, and all in their own home or business."

Learninvicta has 47 learning centres across the county in schools, colleges and private companies. Current RuralMesh subscribers will receive free learndirect membership, and one free course of their choice via learninvicta's virtual learning centre.

KM-fm's Katy Dartford has this report...