The EARNEST Foresight Study Geographic Issues Report on Breakout Session Chairman: Jorge Sanchez, Rapporteur: Valentino Cavalli Participants: Lajos Balint, Artur Binczewski, Tryfon Chiotis, Avi Cohen, Jan Gruntorad, Agathoclis Stylianou, Laimutis Telksnys, Nikos Vogiatzis, Peter Merdian, Victor Buttigieg, Jon Ingi Einarsson Berlin, May 2006

The EARNEST Foresight Study Scope of the study Geographic issues (including but not limited to digital divide issues) Look into –Geographic regions Study issues inside an otherwise well-developed areas Study issues in “greenfield” / developing areas –Research Communities Study issues among different scientific communities in research environment 3 classes in terms of focusing priority: –GN2 members –GN2 observers, SEEREN, Porta Optica/Eastern Europe –EUMEDCONNECT, Porta Optica/Caucasus & Central Asia It is not within the remit of EARNEST to look into research networks in Africa or southern Asia etc. but need not to ignore the EU strategies for developments in these regions (at a higher level)

The EARNEST Foresight Study Brainstorming 1/2 Geographic Issues = Digital Divide? Not the same thing –Global connectivity, Regional issues, Location / special countries (“islands”), physical landscape, status of external limitations (e.g. market, political issues) Definition of Geographic issues in the NREN context? Which are the best measures in this context? Consensus about finding objective parameters but many ideas about what the parameters are –Other “User groups”: Schools, libraries, etc. –Availability of infrastructure –Status of the market - monopoly –Access speed is not sufficient consider the user demand assess the level of service and applications –Research networks need to be ahead of “commercial” networks, but not too much or they could be unstable. –Important to measure geographic issues over time Who should take responsibility? EC, TERENA? Exam trends from (six years of) TERENA Compendium –“Digital divide self-similar”: i.e. it may exist in continents, countries, regions, cities, campuses, etc

The EARNEST Foresight Study Brainstorming 2/2 Which are the real issues affecting the Digital Divide and thus their Sustainability? –Highly dependent on the environment: general infrastructure, political support, legal framework, financial issues –NRENs capability to “sell” their role - Need for strong “business case” –Dark fiber (financial) estimates could be recommended at the end of the study Type of results expected? –Customized, user-targeted document(s) – endorsement from EC is essential Successful completion? –Better measuring approach and understanding of the geographic issues At a (qualitative) policy level, e.g. recommendations to stakeholders, NREN “business plan”, etc. At a (quantitative) networking level, e.g. network measurements over a period of time to assess network performance in various regions At a (both qualitative and quantitative) index level, e.g. selection and interpretation of various indices (e.g. GDP, GNI per capita, core/access speed, network utilization, etc.) and verification/validation/gathering/updating of them for the targeted study groups –needs periodic monitoring by some body (EC? TERENA?)