How CESNET Got Access to Dark Fibres Jan Gruntorád Managing Director CESNET Czech Republic SERENATE NREN Workshop February 4 – 5, 2003

Presentation overwiev 1)CESNET introduction 2)Access to dark fibers 3)Conclusions

Brief History of Internet in CZ 1990 – connection of the Czech Republic to EARN/BITNET 1991 – first experiments with TCP/IP protocol, grant “Establishment of the University IP Network” 1992 – Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports - 20 mil. of CZK, start operation of CESNET INET Conference in Prague leased line open to competition 2000 – 2,5 Gbps IP service between Prague - Brno 2001 – 2,5 Gbps country-wide infrastructure CESNET2 operational years of Internet services in Czech Republic

CESNET, z. s. p. o.(1)  Established as legal entity – not for profit Association of Legal Entities (z.s.p.o.) Association of Legal Entities (z.s.p.o.) (CESNET Network) (CESNET Network)  27 Universities  Czech Academy of Science  Member of projects consortiums:  TEN-34 (TEN-34 CZ)  Quantum (TEN-155 CZ)  Géant (CESNET2)  Internet2 International Member

CESNET, z. s. p. o. (2)  47 staff members in Prague  more than 90 part-time member universities and academy of sciences staff and academy of sciences staff  International activities: - TF - NGN - TF - NGN - TERENA Working Groups - TERENA Working Groups - EU funded projects - EU funded projects

Funding  Research Intend: „High Speed National Research Network and Its New Applications“ Network and Its New Applications“   Supported by Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic: Sports of the Czech Republic:  Institutional Funds: 6.6 mil. EURO/ year  Members fees: 2.5 mil. EURO/ year

liberalization of the leased line provisioning - very positive role of the European Comission - strong lobbying required Access to dark fiber

call for tender for TEN-34 CZ (34 Mbps national infrastructure) Two offers 1) Czech Telecom - optical infrastructure available - price unrealistic - monopoly behavior 2) Czech Radiokomunikace - 34 Mbps microwave links - not proven technical solution - realistic price - co-operative approach

1996 – several alternative providers (power, oil, gass distribution companies, railways, etc.) built fiber optic infrastructure - everyone start with infrastructure between major cities - everyone want to sell services (bandwidth) only

1999 Telecom market situation in CZ - offer much higher than demand Convinced one company (MERO) lease dark fiber between Praha – Brno for pilot project.

Prague-Brno circuit capacity 2,5 Gbps

2000 January – 2,5 Gbps pilot IP service operational Partner (MERO) received: - payment (covering cost) - results of the pilot project (joined technical team) - extensive publicity in all types of media

2000 Summer - call for tender for 2,5 Gbps country-wide connectivity Fall - contracts for seven 2,5 Gbps lines with six suppliers signed (both dark fiber lease and „lambda“ services) - both CESNET and service providers provide and operate regenerators - fibre optics lenght is cca 50 – 80 % longer than road distance

Last (First Mile Issue) - concept of „meeting“ point - joined investment of fiber provider, CESNET and local organization to fiber between „meeting“ point and CESNET PoP location

Keopsys Optical Amplifiers connection

Recomended aplications Booster only - up to 180km Booster with preamp - up to 220km Booster with preamp and Raman - up to 270km

ServiceRoad Fibre Route In operation Route type distance length type Regeneration since [km][km] Prague–Č.Budějovice colour139 N/A 2.5 G supplier 22/2/01 Liberec–H.Králové colour 96 N/A 2.5 G supplier 21/1/02 Ostrava–H.Králové colour247 N/A 2.5 G supplier 1/2/02 Č.Budějovice–Brno colour226 N/A 2.5 G supplier 22/5/02 Prague–Liberec colour108 N/A 2.5 G supplier 1/6/02 Prague–Brno fibre G 3xONS /1/00 Brno–Olomouc fibre G 1xONS /5/01 Ostrava–Olomouc fibre GE 1xCisco /1/02 Pardubice–H.Králové fibre GE no 15/1/02 Prague–Pardubice fibre GE * 17/5/02 Prague–Plzeň fibre G 1xONS /6/02 Prague–Ústí n. L. fibre GE * 10/9/02 Gigabit Circuits of CESNET2

Conclusions - competition is esential requirement (lobby for competition) - telecoms (bandwidth providers) must see NREN as partner – not a competitor (define and adhere to AUP) - PR activities on all levels are very importnant