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EFJ partners with Virginia Tech

May 14, 2008 6:33 PM, By Donny Jackson

EFJ today announced a partnership with Virginia Tech University that is designed to help the company develop advanced wireless products, including software-defined radio (SDR) for its defense and public-safety customers.

Although the partnership was announced today, the agreement has been in place for several months, said Kevin Nolan, spokesman for EFJ subsidiary EFJohnson. The partnership allows “information and technology transfer” between EFJ and the university, which has received several industry accolades for its advancements in SDR technology, Nolan said during an interview with MRT.

EFJohnson is interested in Virginia Tech’s SDR research and the university may want to license the company’s P25 protocol, but Nolan said details of the partnership have not been announced. However, Nolan said EFJohnson believes the Virginia Tech agreement also has positive long-term implications.

“We’re looking at these guys augmenting our own engineering force,” he said. “Also, it gives us a ready-made recruitment field, as well.”

EFJ is considering several partnerships, including some with other universities, Nolan said.

In a press release, EFJ Chairman and CEO Michael Jalbert said the Virginia Tech partnership is expected “to help advance and accelerate our understanding of software-defined radio and SDR based radio interoperability.”