New Collaboration Blazing Trail To Broadband Future: Single Optical Fibre Will Carry Entire National Networks

Montreal, Quebec, January 30, 2003 – A new research network involving five universities was announced today at McGill University by the Honourable Joan Fraser, Senator for De Lorimier, on behalf of Industry Minister Allan Rock. The Agile All-Photonics Research Network will carry out research into technologies that make it possible to route the current capacity of entire national networks on a single fibre. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) is funding the network with a $7-million commitment over five years.

“Broadband will become the vehicle to deliver multimedia communications virtually, instantly and transparently – anytime, anywhere,” said Scientific Director Dr. David Plant. “It will profoundly alter how business, government and ordinary people conduct their affairs.”

Dr. Plant and his collaborators will focus on developing highly flexible, intelligent networks that offer large amounts of bandwidth on demand. These networks will use optical fibre communications channels, each capable of carrying hundreds of different wavelengths, with tens of gigabits per wavelength.

“Communication is an area where Canada has long been a world leader,” said Senator Fraser. “The exciting innovations that will be driven by this impressive collaboration will add considerably to Canada’s reputation for research excellence and world-class discoveries.”

The federal government’s partners in this initiative are the Canadian Microelectronics Corporation, the National Research Council’s Institute for Microstructural Sciences, Adtek Photomask, the Institut National d’Optique, Tropic Networks, Innovance Networks, ITF Optical Technologies, Communications Research Centre Canada, BRAGG Photonics and JDS Uniphase. Their contribution includes $825,000 cash as well as substantial in-kind support.

“The network also involves many government agencies and industrial partners,” said Dr. Rey Pagtakhan, Minister for Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development). “It is a wonderful example of the synergy that this government has actively encouraged as a matter of policy.”

“I congratulate all the universities and partners who have joined forces in this exciting research network,” said NSERC president Tom Brzustowski. “Broadband is an essential part of Canada’s – or any country’s – infrastructure for the 21st century.”

NSERC is a key Federal agency investing in people, discovery, and innovation. The Council supports both basic university research through discovery grants and project research through partnerships among universities, governments and the private sector, as well as the advanced training of highly qualified people.

For further information, contact:

Francis Lionnet
Communications
NSERC
Tel.: (613) 992-9001
Fax: (613) 943-0742
E-mail: francis.lionnet@nserc.ca

Arnet Sheppard
Newsbureau
Communications
NSERC
Tel.: (613) 995-5997
Fax: (613) 943-0742
E–mail: axs@nserc.ca