Starting from December 2001 the Argentinean scientific and academic institutions will count with connectivity to Internet2 and other advanced networks worldwide through RETINA, a project of the "Asociación Civil Ciencia Hoy.”

RETINA—who strongly promoted the communications in the scientific and academic environment during the 90s--has been working more than 20 months to create the access to I2 in Argentina. On Monday November 26, the access point was established with 45 Mbps for its use with advanced applications that are not currently possible with the commercial Internet.

The cooperation of AMPATH, Global Crossing and the Florida International University- FIU (which coordinates the project) makes RETINA’s connection to high speed networks of the United States, Europe and other countries possible. Global Crossing is providing a 10 DS3 connection for Latin America and the Caribbean region for a 3-year period.

During the 20 months of work, RETINA wanted to assure the continuity of the project once it was available for the users, trying to avoid the superposition of efforts with other organizations. Therefore, RETINA contacted all the possible actors that could intervene in a project with the characteristics of the Internet2 such as Universities, Science and Technical Organizations, enterprises, and Ministries and obtained a good response for team work.

The "Fundacion Antorchas” is the main financial sponsor for the initial period and has the compromise of promoting a progressive self-sustainability of the project, which will guarantee the permanence of the service of Retina 2, as it did with Retina 1.

The project counts with the connection, equipment and special discounts of Global Crossing, Impsat, Sun, and Cisco.

The Government Office of Communications-- with which RETINA has had a close contact-- has offered equipment that will facilitate the national connectivity and the external connection with AmPath and with others, improving the regional communication with Chile, Brazil, and Uruguay that have similar Academic Networks initiatives and that are related to RETINA since its creation.

The members of the Technical Commission of RIU (National Universities Network) have been actively involved in the process. The Technical Commission along with several private Universities and Specialized Governmental Organizations integrated to RETINA since several years ago, will play an important role in the project.

On December 12, the campus of the "Universidad Tecnologica Nacional” was the scenario for the official launching of the Argentinean Internet2 connection. A simultaneous participation took place with a videoconference in Argentina with IP in the "Universidad del Litoral” (with the connection provided by Impsat) and with CRIBABB (Regional Center of Conicet in Bahia Blanca with a connection provided by Techtel); in the United States with Internet2 in UCAID, and in Chile with REUNA (the National Chilean Network).

All the scientific, educational, government organizations and enterprises have now an important role implementing the facilities that will allow the connection for the applications that will qualify for I2. They also are responsible for the growth of a national bandwidth along with an adequate technical support that will place Argentina in the place it deserves.

For more information on REd TeleINformática Académica (RETINA), see: http://www.retina.ar/

Contact:
Emma Perez Ferreira
perezf@mail.retina.ar