Gore to Unveil Fast Internet for Universities
07:03 a.m. Apr 14, 1998 Eastern
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A super-fast computer network connecting U.S.
universities that could lead to a much speedier Internet will be
unveiled by Vice President Al Gore Tuesday, according to people
familiar with the project.
Dubbed Internet2, the new computer network will be funded with $500
million of private investment.
With faster and more reliable speed, the network could be used to
transmit live sound and pictures allowing, for example, doctors to
consult on operations performed thousands of miles away.
The Internet2 project, started in 1996, includes over 100
universities and a host of private company sponsors such as Cisco
Systems Inc., 3Com Corp. and MCI Communications Corp. 1997 state of
the union address, President Clinton pledged to build a new Internet
100 to 1,000 times faster than the current network.
While the Internet2 project is using university and private sector
funds to build a super-fast network, the next generation initiative
is using government money to fund basic research about using the
faster network. Clinton asked Congress for $110 million for the next
generation initiative in his fiscal 1999 budget.
Both projects are intended to develop new technologies that will
trickle down to the global Internet as well as private computer
networks.
''We think this is the cutting edge that's going to define how our
products shape next generation networks,'' said 3Com's director of
global education markets David Katz. ''What happens here will be
happening in other industries in a very short period of time.''
Katz said 3Com awarded grants to 10 universities in the Internet2
group for advanced networking research.
Last month, the government awarded 23 members of the Internet2 group,
ranging from Columbia University in New York to the University of
Wyoming, grants to connect to the national Science Foundation's
''very high speed Backbone Network Service'' or vBNS.
The vBNS can theoretically transfer data at a rate of 622 million
bits per second, compared to a home modem's speed of just 28,800 bits
per second. The network is expected to be upgraded to 2,400 million
bits per second eventually.
Greg Wood, a spokesman for the Internet2 project, declined to comment
on Tuesday's announcement.
Gore's office said in a statement the vice president would ''announce
a major technology initiative.''
[Edit] GIVE ME THE SPEED NOW! Whoops, changed my mind. Give me
the speed yesterday! As the robot Number Five said in the movie
"Short Circuit": Info! Info! Give me info! I neeeeeed info!
o~~~ O |
