According to a project summary filed with the NTIA, the network construction project, dubbed DC Community Access Network (DC-CAN), ultimately will upgrade and expand an existing 293-mile network constructed in 2003 to connect government agencies. When completed the project will add 170 additional route miles and connect 190 anchor institutions including community colleges, public safety entities, schools, libraries and healthcare facilities. Much of the new construction is in economically distressed areas with broadband adoption rates below 40%.
The network initially was expected to support speeds of up to 10 Gb/s, but apparently technology advances that have occurred since the initial application was made have now enabled the District to support 100 Gb/s within the original budget target. Underlying the network is an optical transport platform with coherent optics from Ciena.
The project is being touted as “the first city-owned 100 G network in the country”—and it’s true that the 100 Gb/s speed outpaces that of some operator’s nationwide backbone networks. It’s important to note, though, that 100 Gb/s is the backbone or middle-mile network speed—and although the anchor institutions directly connected to it should be able to get speeds equal to or approaching that number, the network does not include last mile construction to homes or businesses.
Washington, D.C. will light the first link in a 100G network this week, making it the first municipality in the United States with an active 100 Gigabit network, according to Mayor Vincent Gray. The mayor will announce the link's activation at a press conference on Wednesday morning.
This first link will provide 100G services to "previously underserved areas east of the Anacostia River," according to a preliminary news release.
Construction of the DC-CAN high-speed fiber network began in March 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment