1. CaribREN Caribbean Region – R&E Networks Chester A. Ruszczyk – MIT Haystack Observatory Internet 2 Fall Member Meeting SIG for International Collaborations in Emerging R&E Networks Dec 6, 2006

2. CaribREN Goals Connection of the Caribbean Islands Connection of the Caribbean Islands –Facilitate R&E High Speed Network Connection to the US Connection to the US Connection to South America Connection to South America –Enable Applications e-VLBI (Arecibo, St. Croix) e-VLBI (Arecibo, St. Croix) Telemedicine (St. Martin, Netherlands Erasmus MC) Telemedicine (St. Martin, Netherlands Erasmus MC) UVI Collaboration with MagPI UVI Collaboration with MagPI

3. Links Interconnecting Caribbean Puerto Rico to Florida (AMPATH) Puerto Rico to Florida (AMPATH) –OC3 (128Mbps) –No access to dark fiber SMITCOMS SMITCOMS –St. Martin gvt formed SMITCOMS LLC Submarine cable license Submarine cable license Provide interconnectivity to the Caribbean Provide interconnectivity to the Caribbean Overall Goal St. Martin to Trinidad Overall Goal St. Martin to Trinidad –St. Martin to Puerto Rico 2.5 Gbps 2.5 Gbps 10Gbps capacity 10Gbps capacity –St. Martin to St. Croix Application filed Application filed 2.5Gbps 2.5Gbps 40 Gbps capacity 40 Gbps capacity

4. 83 km 291 km 138.8 km 62.3 km 44.6 km 183.4 km 11 km 9.1 km 19.8 km 193.2 km 12.8 km 133.2 km BU 1 BU 2 BU 3 BU 4 BU 5 BU 6 BU 7 SMITCOMS East Caribbean Submarine Cable System St. Croix St. Martin Anguilla Antigua Dominica St. Lucia Barbados St. Vincent Grenada 25.1 km St. Martin – Trinidad: 1206 km Total Network: 1566 km

5. Recent Activities Creation of SIG on Caribbean Creation of SIG on Caribbean Application identification Application identification Network Bottlenecks identified Network Bottlenecks identified –Puerto Rico to Florida –Looking for possible solutions CLARA Caribbean effort CLARA Caribbean effort –Discussions underway –No resolution Internet2 Day - possibility in the Caribbean Internet2 Day - possibility in the Caribbean Funding identification Funding identification

6. Looking to the Future Corporate Donation of Fiber Corporate Donation of Fiber –Contacted J&J about e-VLBI trials –Interest but I2 connection is limited to NJ office –Pursuing options with J&J Upgrade of Puerto Rico to AMPATH connection Upgrade of Puerto Rico to AMPATH connection –Looking at costs costs cost sharing options cost sharing options Connection options for radio telescopes Connection options for radio telescopes –Arecibo connected –St. Croix antenna is not

7. Looking into the Future (cont) Funding Sources Funding Sources –NSF US e-VLBI road map being developed US e-VLBI road map being developed –Include Caribbean locations –Astronomy Senior Review may hinder plans –Others? Connection with Cuba Connection with Cuba St. Martin as a hub St. Martin as a hub

8. Thank you. Questions or Comments