GN3 Mobile Connectivity Feasibility Study
Project description and first steps
Mark O’Leary, Janet
TF-MNM Virtual Meeting, 09 Feb 2012
mark.o’leary@ja.net
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Project background “GN3 SA3-T5”
SA3: Service Activity “End-User Services in a Federated Environment”
GÉANT provides connectivity towards their constituencies, from
backbone to campus
Users require more eduroam hotspots
Users require connectivity beyond the eduroam footprint
Users require lower roaming costs
Goal: explore feasibility of a service, meeting these demands:
Improve mobility connectivity within the GÉANT service area by making
it more accessible to end-users
.
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Project participants
Core:
– Mark O’Leary (Janet) Product Manager
– Maurice van den Akker (SURFnet) Business Development
– Stefan Winter (RESTENA) Technical Advisor
– External Business Consultant
Josh Howlett (Janet), GEANT SA3 Activity Leader
Advisory Group:
– Babatunde Omagbai (DANTE)
– Eoin Kenny (HEAnet)
– Kurt Baumann (SWITCH)
– Lino Santos (FCCN)
– Miroslav Milinovic (SRCE)
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What service?
–
Pan-European non-uniform mobile service
• Best value for money, national and roaming
• Involve all available services: 2G, 3G and/or 4G;
• Service for daily use for a broad public (NOT only international
travelers)
• Footprint of GÉANT network used as valuable asset (e.g. Offloading
traffic to reduce costs)
• Strongly coordinated with eduroam initiatives (but not intruding on
existing eduroam developments)
• Voice is probably required (via data or via GSM)
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First Phase of study
Explore the feasibility of a service meeting the needs for Pan European
mobile connectivity given:
Customers requirements
Capabilities of Telecom market
Capabilities (incl. assets) of NRENs (as delivery partners)
Available resources
Carried out by consultant by means of :
• Desk research current telecom market/technical, & political landscape
• RFI to NRENs (including five site visits)
 Preliminary results shared, input gathered in workshop
 20/21 March @ SURFnet office

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Second Phase of study (tentative)
 Feasible items from phase one lead to input for business case:
Evaluation of all options
Analysis of costs, benefits
Financial Models
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Second workshop mid October
Business case available in December
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