FITUG e.V. Förderverein Informationstechnik und Gesellschaft

Global interoperability of broadband networks

CORDIS RTD-NEWS/c European Communities, 1998

Record Control Number : 11816 Date : 1998-12-16

Category : Programme implementation

General Information :

Fundraising to achieve a global broadband network infrastructure for research, application development, testing and demonstrations has been advocated as the prime objective of the Global Interoperability of Broadband Networks Forum.

The Steering Committee of the GIBN, a G8 initiative, met in Vienna on 4 December 1998 to discuss ways of mustering political enthusiasm and support for the interconnection of broadband networks and international collaboration. Delegates agreed they should work towards bringing together government authorities and technical advisers interested in convincing policy makers to fund international broadband connectivity for research. The group also expressed their interest in negotiating cost sharing arrangements, and negotiating larger and cheaper broadband selectivity from suppliers. Equally, it was agreed that promoting the development and testing of intercontinental broadband applications to meet the expectations of a global information society must also be a priority.

GIBN was set up as a collaboration to support societal initiatives ranging from commerce to culture, research to recreation, and economic development to education. The fundamental objective of GIBN is to provide a means for developing and testing trans-national applications that will support the promise of a Global Information Society. The European Commission hopes that this will be achieved by improving the general level of interconnectivity between existing and planned high speed networks and testbeds.

The meeting followed a GIBN workshop where the latest developments in broadband research networks and testbeds were reviewed, provoking a serious discussion on the challenges of global interconnectivity and interoperability.

The main topics addressed at the workshop looked towards the future of Global Broadband Networks in the year 2000, and at wireless and satellite communications. This included a vision of optical communications for the Internet in space and the lessons learned from the satellite projects.

Data Source Provider : GIBN Web Site: http://www.infowin.org/ACTS/ANALYSYS/GENERAL/GIBN/ and personal communication from Directorate General XIII.

Document Reference : URL: http://www.infowin.org/ACTS/ANALYSYS/GENERAL/GIBN/

Programme Acronym : FRAMEWORK 4C; ACTS

Subject Index Codes : Telecommunications; Innovation, Technology Transfer

Contact Person :

For further information, please contact:
European Commission DG XIII
Mirielle Vanhee
Tel. +32-2-2991994

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