Phoenix Rising BBS/phoenixrising.zip/phoenixrising/pac_bell/brief1.txt

Text File | 1995-03-20 | 16KB | 373 lines

Richard A. Hronicek
Program Director, CalREN
Pacific Bell
2600 Camino Ramon, Room 3S-306
San Ramon, CA  94583

510-867-6742
510-277-0673 (FAX)
E-Mail:  [e-mail]


To those interested in CalREN:

Plans to build a communications superhighway are proceeding at lightning
speed, and what was one considered science fiction is rapidly becoming
reality.  But what of the high-speed telecommunications "cars" that will
travel this road?  Should we wait and build them once the infrastructure is
complete, or start developing them now, so they're ready to hit the road as
it opens?

CalREN, the California Research and Education Network, is Pacific Bell's
program to stimulate applications development and utilization while
building the information superhighway.

Enclosed is the first of two briefing packages on CalREN.  Briefing Package
No. 1 describes CalREN's purpose, objectives and preliminary program
guidelines, which will be reviewed with the California Public Utilities
Commission.  Briefing Package No. 2 will provide more detailed information,
including the dates for project proposal solicitation.

Spread the word.  Anyone who is interested will be added to the CalREN
mailing list.  Feel free to ask questions (FAX or E-Mail preferred).  We
will collect and address your questions in the second briefing package.

Thank you for your interest in the CalREN program.  Given the caliber of
individuals and organizations who have expressed interest in CalREN, I am
confident of its success.

Sincerely,


Rick Hronicek




                     CalREN

The California Research and Education Network


              Briefing Package No. 1



                  JUNE 30, 1993


I.  What is CalREN?

Pacific Bell has established a trust, known as CalREN, the California
Research and Education Network.  CalREN's purpose is to stimulate the
development and utilization of communications applications for high-speed
switched data communication services. Applications like remote medical
diagnostics, distance learning, and telecommuting will improve California's
quality of life as well as our economic competitiveness.  Without some
stimulus, application development and availability will be slowed because
of a classic chicken and egg dilemma:  which will come first, the
communications infrastructure, or the applications?  Applications
developers will wait for the infrastructure to be put in place, while the
infrastructure developers wait for market demand.

CalREN attacks this deadlock by:

1)  Accelerating the deployment of communication technology in two
geographies, and

2)  Promoting applications development by funding data communication
services for approved projects.

I.a  Technology Deployment

While applications that use the "fast lane" of the communications
superhighway are an integral part of the information infrastructure, CalREN
also encourages projects that utilize the "off-ramps and city streets."
Pacific Bell plans to invest over $35 million in the deployment of these
"off-ramps and city streets" services, as well as in the high-capacity
fiber backbone infrastructure.

The target services and platforms, ranging in speed from 64 kilobits per
second (Kbps)to over 150 megabits per second (Mbps), are:

-ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode)
-SMDS (Switched Multimegabit Data Service)
-Frame Relay
-ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)
-SDS-56 (Switched 56)

Attachment A provides more detail on these services, many of which are
being deployed now.  A plan is in place to widely deploy these services by
the end of 1993 in the San Francisco Bay Area, and by the end of the first
quarter of 1994 in the greater Los Angeles area.

I.b  Application Development

CalREN will support projects aimed at the development of innovative
high-speed telecommunications applications and those that accelerate the
technology transfer of existing applications.  The latter may use an
existing application in a new or unique way or target a new or expanded set
of users.

CalREN's goal is to sponsor the development of applications that improve
education and healthcare delivery, facilitate new business development and
creation of jobs, improve California's economic competitiveness, and
improve business and governmental processes.


------------------------------------------------
CalREN SUMMARY

CalREN:
Pacific Bell has set-up a trust to fund application            projects'
communication services.  CalREN will            solicit, review, and
approve projects.  The projects            can be proof of concept, trial,
pilot, prototype, or            demonstration in nature.

DURATION:
CalREN will run through 1994 and 1995.  Pacific Bell has not determined
CalREN's status beyond 1995. Projects are expected to last from six to
eighteen months.

TARGET SERVICES: ATM, SMDS, Frame Relay, ISDN, & SDS-56

GEOGRAPHY: San Francisco Bay Area and Greater LA

SERVICES TIMING:
The Pacific Bell service availability varies somewhat by technology.
Generally speaking, the target services will be available by the end of
1993 in the Bay Area and end of the first quarter of 1994 in Los Angeles.

------------------------------------------------

 II.  What does CalREN sponsorship mean?

CalREN will solicit project proposals.  Approved projects will receive
funding for their Pacific Bell data communications services (i.e., ATM,
SMDS, Frame Relay, ISDN, and SDS-56.)  Funding will cover installation and
recurring charges for the project's duration.

Project participants are expected to contribute the other components of the
project.  A project must supply, or find partners to supply, the
application software, computer equipment, communications equipment, end
users, end user training, and project management.  Project proposals with
balanced contribution from all participants are preferred.

III.  How will CalREN Work?

CalREN will solicit proposals through a Request for Proposal (RFP).  CalREN
will create a council, external to CalREN, to review and approve project
proposals.  CalREN may choose to work with existing non-profit
organizations for portions of the project solicitation/review process.

CalREN plans to announce several RFPs.  The initial RFP for the San
Francisco Bay Area is planned for the fourth quarter of 1993.  An RFP for
the greater Los Angeles area is planned for the first quarter of 1994.
RFPs may be segmented by type of application,  such as healthcare or
education, or by communication technology, such as ATM, SMDS, etc.
Details, including the timing of proposal solicitation and the submission
process, will be addressed in the second briefing package, scheduled for
release in September, 1993.

IV.  CalREN Project Selection Guidelines

Following are preliminary guidelines for the evaluation of project
proposals.  These guidelines will closely parallel the request format for
proposal submission.  All guideline components may not apply to every
project.  These guidelines may be modified during the CalREN  planning
phase.  More information will be available in the second briefing package.

1)  Project Definition

Each project should have well-defined objectives and timeframes for the
development of a specific application or applications.  The project must
include the use of Pacific Bell's data communications services, e.g. ATM,
SMDS, Frame Relay, ISDN, and/or SDS-56.

2)  Project Purpose

The application defined in the project may be a demonstration, proof of
concept, prototype, trial or pilot.  The project should last long enough to
develop, implement, and measure the benefits of the application.  CalREN
expects projects to last from six to eighteen months.

Projects which improve the quality of education or healthcare will be given
priority in the proposal review process.  However, approved projects will
not be limited to these fields.  CalREN will consider commercial and
research projects which target either the public or private sector.

Special consideration will be given to those projects which include
disadvantaged users, or projects which include users who typically would
not have access to technology.

3)  Project Leadership

Generally, projects should be led by the application developer or provider.
 Pacific Bell and CalREN will not formulate or lead projects.  Well-defined
project leadership and project management will be favorably considered in
the evaluation process.

4)  Participants

CalREN encourages intra- and inter-industry collaboration.  Generally,
multiple-organization participation is expected.  Participants should
provide information on their leadership and/or experience in the field of
endeavor.  Success in other collaborative projects will contribute to a
favorable review.

Projects will require some level of data communications expertise.

5)  Expected Benefits

Project benefits should extend to an entire industry or a significant
segment of the California population.  The project must benefit a group
larger than the participants.  Projects should demonstrate the direct or
potential benefits of the application.

Projects must show a social benefit in the areas of education, healthcare,
quality of life, environment, competitiveness or creation of jobs.
Proposals must state how benefits will be measured, documented, and
distributed.

Most of a project's objectives and outcomes must be available for public
review.  At a minimum, this refers to a project's final report or findings.
 However, some parts of a project may be proprietary, with rights solely
owned by one or more participants.  A proposal must clearly distinguish its
public and proprietary components.  Pacific Bell and CalREN do not request
or require rights to any project development.

A balance of proprietary information protection and intellectual property
rights protection should be agreed upon among the participants.

6)  Project Resources/Contribution

Participants must contribute to the project, in addition to working
collaboratively with partners.  Participants may contribute funds, in-kind
services, equipment, applications, application development, personnel, or
other non-Pacific Bell communications services to projects.

Participants should specify their contributions in the project proposal.
CalREN is looking for projects with balanced contribution from
participants.  Where balanced contribution is infeasible, participants
should consider supporting a disadvantaged user group's access to the
applications.  For example, a university may "adopt" a K-12 school and
provide the means for that school's participation.

7)  Project Plan

CalREN will sponsor well-organized projects, not ideas.  The role of
project management must be clearly spelled out in the proposal.  The
project plan must include expected start and completion dates (generally,
six to eighteen months), communication requirements (including how many end
users and locations), estimated cost of the targeted communications
services (essentially equal to the project's CalREN funding request),
milestones, project checkpoints, and well-defined measures of success.

8)  Restrictions

CalREN funds may only be used for the project's Pacific Bell data
communications services.

CalREN's support of a project cannot directly cause the disconnection or
deferment of commercial telecommunications services from any carrier.
CalREN funds cannot be used to fund services that an organization has
already purchased.

CalREN-supported projects cannot significantly interfere or compete with
existing for-profit value-added services.

V.  Briefing Package No. 2

Briefing Package No. 2, scheduled for release in September, 1993, will include:
-  More information on Pacific Bell's service deployment    plans for the
San Francisco Bay Area and the greater Los    Angeles area
-  CalREN RFP timeframes and schedules
-  Status on the role of any designated non-profit agents
-  More details on the proposal process
-  Answers to any questions received

VI.  Questions

Please mail, fax or E-Mail any questions, keeping in mind that we intend to
provide further information on the items above.  Please communicate your
questions as soon as possible, so that we can include the answers in our
next briefing package, scheduled for release in September, 1993.

Mailing List

If you wish to be added to the mailing list please advise us via fax,
E-Mail Similarly, please contact us to be removed from the distribution
list.

FAX:[phone]     ATTENTION:  CalREN Program


MAIL:The CalREN Program
c/o Pacific Bell
2600 Camino Ramon, Room 3S-306
San Ramon, CA  94583


E-Mail Internet Address:  [e-mail]


Attachment A

CalREN Target Data Communication Services

CalREN's Target services, ranging in speed from 64 Kilobits per second
(Kbps) to over 150 Megabits per second (Mbps), can be envisioned as three
tiers:

TIER I:

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is an ultra-high-speed switching and
transmission fabric which will initially operate at 155 Mbps, evolving to
45 Mbps and 2.5 Gigabits per second (Gbps).  ATM will eventually allow the
simultaneous transmission of voice, data and video-communications over a
SONET-based fiber-optic network.  Applications will include high definition
imaging and teleseminars.

TIER II:

Switched Multimegabit Data Service (SMDS) is a public, connectionless
cell-switched service.  SMDS offers high-performance data transmission --
1.544 to 45 Megabits per second -- spanning wide geographic areas, over the
public network.  It is ideal for high speed data applications among four or
more locations.  Based on cell-relay technology, SMDS provides a migration
path to other broadband technologies that will allow it to support voice
and video as well as data transmission.  Applications include very
high-volume file transfer such as CAD/CAM, medical imaging, animation and
visualization.

Frame Relay is a connection-oriented, virtual circuit service which
operates at speeds from 56 Kbps to 1.544 Mbps.  Frame relay is a
fast-packet service that has been streamlined for speed by reducing
node-to-node processing.  Frame relay is ideal for mid- to high- bandwidth
applications such as local area network (LAN) interconnection, file
transfer, and telecommuting.

TIER III:

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is a standardized
telecommunications network architecture providing multi-channel,
integrated, end-to-end connectivity.  ISDN allows the high-speed
transmission of electronic information through a single customer interface,
whether the content is voice, data, video or graphic images.  Basic rate
ISDN provides two full 64 Kbps unrestricted "B" channels for voice or data
and one 16 Kbps "D" channel for signalling and data, on a single line.
Primary rate ISDN provides 23 "B" channels and one "D" channel.

Switched Digital Service 56 (SDS-56) is a low-cost, digital, dial-up
alternative to dedicated private lines or analog services.  Users simply
dial another user's SDS 56 number and transmit their data at 56 Kbps.  SDS
56 is particularly attractive for intermittent, high-speed data
transmission applications, such as video conferencing, imaging and
high-speed telecommuting.

Rick Hronicek
Program Director - CalREN
Pacific Bell