IP: Canada First to Launch the World's Most Advanced National

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 15:15:35 -0400
From: "Nick Lordi" <nlj () bellcore com>




fyi, and at only $55 million, sounds like the Canadian government 
got industry to contribute quite a bit of fiber and its
associated hardware/software.


So is the US falling behind or is it we just don't know how to
best leverage our government's R&D investments ?


Nick


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Canada First to Launch the World's Most Advanced National Optical Internet


               BusinessWire, Tuesday, August 25, 1998 at 11:22


    OTTAWA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 25, 1998--


            Collaborative Partnership To Introduce CA*net 3
             High-Speed Network Promises to Revolutionize
                 Electronic Data Information Exchange


   John Manley, Minister of Industry, today announced a collaborative
partnership between CANARIE (Canadian Network for the Advancement of
Research, Industry and Education) and a Bell Canada-led private sector
consortium to build CA*net 3, the world's first national optical
Internet. Its vastly increased bandwidth is poised to revolutionize
the way industry, government and researchers collaborate and conduct
high-speed research and information exchange. The 1998 federal budget
allocated $55 million for CANARIE to deploy a national optical network
as a key element of Industry Canada's Connecting Canadians agenda.
   Using new fibre optic-based technology and Dense Wavelength
Division Multiplexing, CA*net 3 will deliver unparalleled network
capability to Canadian research institutions and universities faster
than any existing commercial Internet. Although the initial use of the
network will be in support of Canada's high technology and research
communities, it will eventually have tremendous impact on all
Canadians.
   "This initiative, the latest example of Canadian innovation in
communications technology, provides a great opportunity for Canada.
This further establishes our high-tech industry and research community
at the forefront of Internet technology and applications development,"
said Minister Manley. "In due course, the benefits of CA*net 3 will
provide schools and communities across Canada with unparalleled access
to the vast resources of the Internet."
   CANARIE and the Bell Canada consortium, which includes Cisco
Systems Canada Co., JDS Fitel, Newbridge Networks Corporation and
Nortel (Northern Telecom), will develop and deploy the core of this
third generation network across Canada. CANARIE's collaborative
approach will extend opportunities for other carriers to participate
in the associated research and development and to provide
regional-level services.
   "The participation of all of these companies in this consortium is
an indication of how important this initiative is to Canadian
industry," added Andrew K. Bjerring, President & CEO of CANARIE.
"Deploying the world's most advanced optical Internet across the
country is another Canadian first, such as the first
telecommunications satellite and the first radar imaging satellite."
   Unlike existing networks, which have been built primarily to
support voice communications, CA*net 3, targeted to be fully active as
early as October 1998, is being built specifically as an Internet
network with voice traffic treated as just another form of data. With
its vast capacity to carry multi-media traffic, CA*net 3 will enable
numerous health, research, educational and commercial applications not
possible on today's networks. For example, doctors will be able to
participate in operations performed thousands of miles away.
   "This giant step in Internet history is a wonderful example of
what can happen when Canada's public and high technology private
sectors direct their joint skills and experience towards a common
goal. CA*net 3 provides new opportunities for critical skill-building
and research and development in Canada and significantly enhances the
foundation of our digital economy for the new century," said John
MacDonald, Chairman and CEO of Bell Canada.
   Cisco Systems Canada Co., the worldwide leader in networking for
the Internet, will provide Cisco `12000's' which will in turn deliver
the density, scalability and performance required to enable new
multimedia applications for the new economy. JDS Fitel, a world
leading supplier of fibre optics, will supply the key optical
components needed to develop this optical Internet. Newbridge
Networks, a world leader in communications networking, and Cambrian
Systems Corporation, a Newbridge affiliate company, will provide
leading-edge asynchronous transfer mode infrastructure equipment and
advanced photonic networking solutions enabling the delivery of
differentiated Internet Protocol services and other advanced,
high-bandwidth applications. Nortel, the world's leading supplier of
high-capacity optical networks, will supply infrastructure equipment
for the project, enabling bandwidth-intensive IP traffic to be carried
directly over optical channels on the WDM network.
   Established in 1993 with support from Industry Canada, CANARIE is
a not-for-profit industry-led corporation with over 120 fee-paying
members and a 24 Member Board representing private and public sectors.
CANARIE's mission is to facilitate the development of critical aspects
of the communications infrastructure in Canada and to contribute to
Canadian competitiveness, wealth and job creation and quality of life.
   This event will be broadcast live on the World Wide Web at
http://www.canet2.net/LiveBroad.htm at 11:00 a.m.EST.


NOTE TO EDITORS:  There is an asterisk between "CA" and "net 3" in
this news release.  This symbol may not appear properly in some
systems.


    CONTACT: Environics Communications
             Steve Acken
             Media Relations
             Tel:(416) 920-9000 ext.272
             Email: sacken () pr environics ca
                     or
             CANARIE: www.canarie.ca