David LassnerUniversity of Hawaii

<david@hawaii.edu>

With substantial progress in Asia, Africa and a new Caribbean R&E network going live this year, the Pacific may be the last region of the world with no initiative to develop a regional Research & Education (R&E) NetworkNew network infrastructure built and being built may provide the Pacific with the first real opportunity to join the global R&E Network communityNSF has funded an exploratory project to identify needs and opportunities for R&E networking in the PacificThe European Commission funded a similar study earlier in the year

This exploratory project will engage the Pacific R&E community, scientists, service providers and other stakeholders to develop concepts and approaches for R&E networking in the Pacific Islands. While focusing on the Pacific, we will study the O3b satellite network, which will have broad applicability for R&E networking in other remote locations as well as for ship-based research around the world.

1) Identify locations of interest for R&E networking in the Pacific Islands including research facilities, colleges and universities and the key R&E application drivers for these locations and their networking requirements.

2) Identify available infrastructure and plans relevant to R&E networking in the locations and for the applications identified.

3) Work with participants and stakeholders to develop and disseminate plans and approaches for deploying R&E networking for the targeted locations.

Research and Education (R&E) networks directly connect colleges, universities, research facilities, schools, libraries, museums and sometimes hospitals.R&E network connections tend to be higher speed and deploy advanced network capabilities earlierIn most countries, R&E network connections complement standard “commodity” Internet connectivityR&E network connections enable advanced applications in research and education that are not feasible over commodity connectionsHigher/Tertiary education usually anchors R&E network initiativesR&E networks can be developed at the state/regional, national and international level

Connect education & research communities domestically and globally

Enable distance learning, training, access to content and academic collaborationsEnable cyberinfrastructure-empowered research

Develop and deploy advanced network applications and technologies

Enable new generation of applicationsTransfer technology, knowledge and experience for broad commercial use

Highly distributed populationLow density, Significant distances, Island geographies, including domestic

Weak economiesLimited educational attainmentLimited telecom infrastructure – internal and external

Economics and geography

Developing and variable telecom regulatory environmentLimited regional “glue”

Multiple political affiliations

Lack of coordination by development partnersConnectivity is most critical to the most isolated communities; Unfortunately, they generally have the most limited capacity.

Expand distance learning opportunities and improve educational capacity

Education, Public Health, Health Care, Social Work, STEM, Environmental Studies, Business…Enable collaboration with and access to resources at colleges, universities, NGOs and others in the R&E community around the worldTelemedicinePublic Health outreach and research

Enable strategic research using modern cyberinfrastructure approaches

Environmental Studies, Climate Change & Sea Level Rise, Ocean Acidification, Coral Reef Survival, Fisheries, Island Sustainability, Indigenous Culture Preservation, Sustainable Agriculture, Public Health, Bioinformatics applications to people and the environment, Earthquake & Tsunami Modeling, Disaster Resilience…

Develop workforce for local telecommunications and ICT industries

Enable economic development through new information- and communications-based opportunities

Build appreciation for higher speed broadband and demand for higher capacity services and infrastructure

Directly address meaningful national & regional problems through modern research and education practices

Demonstrate utility of bandwidth abundance in a limited, affordable and safe setting

Engage the region’s best & brightest with global counterparts and collaborators

Develop the next generation of bandwidth-savvy workers and citizens

Currently available fiberFiji – AU/USGuam – HawaiiNew Caledonia – AUSamoa - American Samoa – HawaiiFrench Polynesia – HawaiiMicronesia & Marshalls – GuamNorthern Marianas – Guam

– PNG – AU & Guam • Fiber projects underway (funded)

– Vanuatu – Fiji– Tonga – Fiji – Solomons – Guam & AU (via PIPE)

• Fiber projects under consideration– Palau, Samoa, American Samoa

• O3B Satellite, designed to serve the “Other 3 Billion”

• MEO / Ka Band Design:• High Speed - gigabit• Low Latency – 120 ms• Maritime service offering• Hawaii-based gateway• 2013 Launch & RFS

• Hawaiki Fiber System• AU/NZ – Hawaii with

branching units for Pacific Islands

Established 1968Established 196812 member countries 12 member countries Multi owned and multi Multi owned and multi funded funded 33million Sq Km ocean33million Sq Km ocean

USP SERVING THE PACIFIC ISLAND USP SERVING THE PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIESCOUNTRIES

Thanks to ACPConnect!

Univ ofFrench Polynesia

(Tahiti)

Univ of Hawaii & Pacific Wavevia Honotua

Univ ofNew Caledonia

AARNet via Gondwana

Renater(France)

Berkeley, NSF, Stakeholders

CommercialInternet &

local peering(FP)

Gump Station (Moorea) Commercial

Internet &local peering

(NC)

Guam GigaPOP(UOG/GCC)

College of Marshall Islands

(Majuro) Univ of Hawaii,Pacific Wave & Beyond

College of Micronesia (Pohnpei)

Northern MarianasCollege (Saipan)

CommercialInternet &

local peering(Guam)

CommercialInternet &

local peering(Saipan)

CommercialInternet &

local peering(Pohnpei)

CommercialInternet &

local peering(Majuro)

• Pacific colleges and universities: PPEC, USP, UPF, UNC, NUS, PNG unis…• Pacific research institutions and their owners/operators• PITA members – Pacific Telecom Operators• APAN, PTC, PacNOG, PICISOC, APNIC…• Owners of the new infrastructure (Fiber projects, Satellite systems)• Pacific Island national & regional governments and leaders• Pacific Islands Forum• Existing R&E Networks in the U.S., Australia, NZ, France, Japan:

Internet2, AARNet, KAREN, RENATER..• National and international development agencies: EC, WorldBank, ADB,

AUSAid, NZAID, JICA, APT, ITU, UNESCO…• U.S. Government: NSF, Interior, State, Education, Commerce, CDC,

NASA…