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4 October 2002

Internet2 Feasibility Study

Collaborating at Speed, product of steering group on Internet2.

The NGI (Next Generation Internet) Steering Group
of InternetNZ, with support from Cisco,
University of Otago, and Industry NZ has released
the final report entitled Collaborating at Speed
: Innovation Infrastructure for a Knowledge
Economy which investigated the establishment of a
Next Generation Internet network for New Zealand.

Collaborating at Speed is the result of a 3 month
long feasibility study which examined in detail
the need for the establishment of a NGI network
for New Zealand. Over 60 potential private and
public sector stakeholder organizations were
canvassed as part of the study including the
tertiary education and research community as well
as key industry sectors highlighted in the
Central Governments Growth and Innovation
Strategy report ; Creative Sector , Biotech and
ICT.

New Zealand is unique among its key trading
partners as well OECD members countries in not
having an advanced research and development
network to support the development of next
generation internet services which typically
utilize connectivity at speeds upwards of 2.5
Gbit/sec. By contrast aDSL broadband services
operate at speeds of up to 1.5Mbit/sec

The vision for NGI expressed in the report
declared that the establishment of NGI for New
Zealand was essential "for an innovative and
globally-connected economy, with state of the art
national internet infrastructure delivering
bandwidth at capacities and prices that encourage
collaboration, and stimulate researchers and
entrepreneurs to seek new challenges and business
opportunities."

Key recommendations from the report include:

… the establishment of an integrated Advanced
Network for Research, Innovation and Education
open to all private and public sector
stakeholders and not restricted to the research
and tertiary education communities. Proposed
requirements call for national NGI network,
offering connectivity at 2.5 Gbit/sec, to all
major centres to be established within 12 months,
with expansion to regional centres to follow

… that an NGI Consortium be formed immediately to
develop an appropriate governance and management
structure for the establishment of a New Zealand
NGI network

… funding for the NGI network to be achieved
through a private - public sector partnership
with Central Government taking a key stakeholder
role

… the establishment of NGI Application Working
Groups focusing on the following priorities and
industry sectors: - Creative, Biotechnology,
Tele-health, AgriTech, ICT, Education and
e-Learning and NGI technologies.

… an NGI funding assistance programme sponsored
by Central government to stimulate NGI
application development.

Recommendations from the report Collaborating at
Speed were endorsed at a national stakeholders
meeting hosted in Wellington on September 19 and
included attendees from Auckland , Christchurch
and Dunedin utilizing a national video
conferencing link- up.

Feedback from the stakeholders meeting included
unanimous support for a recommendation regarding
the need for an non restrictive acceptable use
policy (AUP). NGI networks elsewhere are
typically bounded by restrictive AUP's allowing
only for non commercial traffic.

Equally important was the priority for central
government research funding agencies to direct
financial assistance specifically targeting the
development of NGI applications . It has been
noted that ICT only accounts for approx $10
million, or less than 3%, in total research
funding.

The key outcome from the stakeholders meeting is
the commitment by NGI Steering Group to
facilitate the establishment of an NGI consortium
within 2 months to implement the key
recommendations of the report including the
possibility of building a third network or
national backbone linking gigapops planned for
all the major centres

The report and further information regarding the
NGI consortium, including an application and
proposed governance rules, is available from
InternetNZ or online at www.ngi.org.nz.

Video of stakeholders meeting: http://www.r2.co.nz/20020919b

Media Contact Details

Neil James
Chair , NGI Steering Group
University of Otago
Dunedin
Tel (03) 479-8594
Mobile 021 393-123
FAX (03)479-8577
email : neil.james@stonebow.otago.ac.nz

John Houlker
ICT Sector Specialist
Industry New Zealand
Wellington
Direct: 04 910 4386
Main: 04 910 4300
Mobile: 025 784 068
email: john.houlker@industrynz.govt.nz

Sue Leader
Executive Director InternetNZ
Wellington
Tel 64-4-472-1600
Fax: +64-4-495-2115
email : exe.dir@internetnz.net.nz
http://www.internetnz.net.nz