Fast 155 Mbit/s European network put into service

Brussels, 14 December 98 The new pan-European research network TEN-155 is operational now TEN-155 interconnects 16 European university networks across Europe at speeds of 155 Mbps. This means an increase in capacity by a factor of at least 7. The network makes direct use of SDH technology and employs multiple international OC-3 links. As a direct result of the liberalisation of the telecommunications market, international bandwidth will be the same now as bandwidth available on national services.

In addition to a basic IP service, TEN-155 will offer guaranteed Quality of Service using a combination of ATM and IP technology. Specific user groups at universities and research institution can make use of this "Managed Bandwidth" Service which allows for the temporary setup of connections.

The first links of the TEN-155 network became operational were the 155 Mbps SDH-ring connecting France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, as well as the links connecting the Nordic countries (via a node in Sweden) and Switzerland to Germany and the Netherlands. A 34 Mbps link between Belgium and the Netherlands became operational on 17 December. The university networks of Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary and Italy will migrate from the existing TEN-34 network to TEN-155 before the end of January 1999. Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain will follow soon after and an extension of the TEN-155 network to Ireland is planned for 1999. The network will also be enhanced by a new 155 Mbps link to the United States starting January1999.

A Consortium of all European university networks (the national organisations providing universities and academic research institutions with data communications using Internet technology connectivity which is independent of the commercial Internet) and DANTE as the Coordinating Partner has organised and implements the TEN-155 network. DANTE is a not-for-profit company founded in 1993 to organise and manage the provision of pan-European Internet connectivity for the European research community. The TEN-155 network is co-funded by the European Commission under the Fourth Framework Programme.

Unisource Belgium is the main supplier of the TEN-155 network and provides connectivity in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. DANTE has signed contracts with Datakom, Matav, Mero and OTE for connectivity to Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Greece respectively and is finalising contracts for services to Portugal and Slovenia.

for more information check in at the Dante web site.

Sandra Wermer