RathlinConnex, a connectivity system for Northern Ireland’s only inhabited offshore island, aims to be a scalable model for remote communities.
Remote diagnostics and future digital services have been given a boost on Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland’s only inhabited offshore island, six miles off the Antrim coast. It is home to around 170 residents and accessible only by ferry, and has long faced the challenges typical of remote island communities: weather-dependent transport, limited terrestrial infrastructure, and chronic digital exclusion.
UK-based and European tech companies Excelerate Technology, Eutelsat – operator of the OneWeb satellite constellation – and Livewire Digital, supported by funding from the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity programme within the agency’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES), have announced RathlinConnex. It will address these barriers by deploying a modular, hybrid connectivity system that integrates Eutelsat’s OneWeb LEO along with GEO satellite services, private 5G, and terrestrial cellular into a unified, intelligent communications platform.
Designed specifically for hard-to-reach environments, the system will be installed as fixed infrastructure on the island, delivering reliable broadband access for residents, small businesses, essential services, and community facilities. The deployment will also support Internet of Things (IoT) telemetry for environmental monitoring, remote diagnostics, and future digital services that depend on stable, high-quality connectivity.
“We are extremely proud to lead the consortium, bringing together world-class expertise to deliver a truly transformative connectivity solution for the UK. RathlinConnex is about more than technology — it is about ensuring that remote communities have the same digital opportunities as everywhere else,” said Bethan Evans, chief operating officer at Excelerate Technology.
“This project represents a major step forward in closing the digital divide for island residents who have historically been underserved,” she added.
No resident GP
Rathlin currently has no resident GP, meaning that even routine medical consultations require residents to travel to the mainland – a journey that can be delayed or cancelled entirely during poor weather. Improved connectivity will enable telemedicine, giving islanders faster access to healthcare professionals and reducing the burden of travel for vulnerable residents.
The island also has no on-island veterinary service, requiring farmers, crofters and pet owners to arrange costly off-island visits for even basic assessments. With high-quality video connectivity, veterinary telemedicine becomes viable for the first time, enabling remote diagnosis, triage, and real-time eyes-on support for animal health issues that previously demanded a physical visit. This will provide meaningful support to the island’s agricultural and wildlife-focused community.
The RathlinConnex system includes the Hybrid Edge appliance running RazorLink, edge compute, IoT integration, and remote management tools. RazorLink intelligently bonds the satellite & terrestrial WAN services, to realise optimised 5G cellular backhaul and internet breakout. The platform delivers continuous service even in environments with minimal or unreliable infrastructure.
A single instance of the system will provide island-wide baseline coverage, comfortably supporting the needs of the permanent population of 170 residents. While the island can see up to 20,000 visitors during peak tourist periods, the project’s primary objective is to deliverlong-term digital inclusion for residents, enabling access to public services, education, remote healthcare, veterinary support, and economic development.
“RathlinConnex demonstrates how satellite and terrestrial technologies can work seamlessly together to bring meaningful connectivity to even the most remote communities,” said Antonio Franchi, head of ESA’s Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity programme.
