A
broad-based group of 29 universities and communities across the country,
including Duke University and Durham, on Wednesday launched Gig. U, a project
aimed at accelerating the deployment of ultra-high-speed computer networks to
leading U.S. universities and their surrounding communities.
Improvements
to these networks can drive economic growth and stimulate a new generation of
innovations addressing critical needs, such as health care and education,
proponents say.
The
project -- officially called Gig. U, The University Community Next Generation
Innovation Project -- draws on America's rich history of research community-led
innovation and entrepreneurship, said Tracy
Futhey, vice president for information technology and chief information officer
at Duke, and one of the early proponents of Gig.U.
"The Triangle has been a center of innovation for more than
50 years, thanks to the collaboration between the universities and the
communities," said Futhey. "Maintaining that edge for the future will
require the kind of widespread high-speed broadband access that we don’t yet
enjoy, but which we hope Gig.U will promote in this area and around the
country."
Kevin Davis, assistant director for service management and
operational integration in the Office of Information Technology, has
served as Duke's liaison to the national effort, which also includes the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University in
Raleigh.
University
communities increasingly depend on high-speed networks to educate, collaborate
and share large amounts of information instantaneously. Research in real time
has fueled the growth of the global information economy, yet today's market for
bandwidth services does not address the particular needs of university
communities.
The
launch of Gig.U aims to create a favorable climate for next-generation network
test beds and trigger a new generation of high-speed networking offerings for
these communities.
Gig.U
universities and their surrounding communities have the most favorable
conditions for a market-based, ultra-high-speed strategy, including high
density and high demand from institutions and residential customers. These
communities have long served as partners and test-beds for advances in market
segments ranging from health care and education to technology and energy.
Through
an open Request for Information (RFI) process, Gig.U will gather data on these
specific segments with the intent to inform high-speed service providers of new
implementation approaches, and to enable competition to bring high-speed
networks to research communities. The group aims for the RFI process to bring
cutting-edge networking technology to campuses and communities in a matter of
years, not decades.
"Durham
is already a leader in technology-based and technology-assisted education, research
and production. We are also poised to take these accomplishments to a new
level as our community leverages further and deeper connectivity," said Michael
Page, chairman of the Durham Board of County Commissioners.
Casey
Steinbacher, president of the Durham Chamber of Commerce, added, "The universities
in our communities are the centerpiece to our talent and economic development
efforts. They are perfectly positioned to use that influence to drive even
greater opportunities in these areas to parts of our communities that would
never be in a position to benefit on their own. And by doing so, they would
effectively forever change the current perception of town and gown
relationships."
Gig.U
is being incubated at The Aspen
Institute and will be directed by Blair Levin, a fellow at the Aspen
Institute Communications and Society Program and formerly the executive director
of the National Broadband Plan.
"The
National Broadband Plan noted the importance of ultra-high-speed test beds to
dive improvements throughout the broadband ecosystem," Levin said. "Rather than
a top-down effort based on government funds, as other countries are doing,
Gig.U addresses that need by building on market forces and America's unique
strengths."
For
more information about Gig.U, visit http://www.gig-u.org/