TEN-155

Trans-European Network at 155Mbps

December 1998 – October 2001

1. Providing the next generation pan-European research network in order to facilitate co-operative development activities in Europe increasingly based on the use of multi-media services.
2. Offering a 'best efforts' IP service, as well as a Managed Bandwidth Service through an ATM overlay for specific groups of users and for the temporary setup of virtual paths, with guaranteed bandwidth between national research networks.
3. Execution of Quantum Test Programme (QTP): experimentation and validation of new IP and ATM technology using a wide-area and international test network.

Acquisition by DANTE of bandwidth at prices that bore some practical relationship to underlying costs, through procurement conducted at a time when liberalisation of the European telecoms market had begun to make an impact.

Delivery of a core transmission network of 155Mbps circuits.

Choice of ATM or SDH-over-IP access to the TEN-155 network.

• December 1997: positive evaluation by the EC of Quantum outline proposal; specification of TEN-155 service agreed; TEN-155 Consortium created
• February 1998: 16 responses received by DANTE to Invitation to Tender issued in December 1997
• August 1998: Unisource chosen as main supplier: supply contract for the bulk of the capacity signed
• November 1998: working items of QTP Task Force defined
• December 1998: TEN-155 operational
  November 2000: TEN-155 upgraded to speeds of up to 622Mbps with completion of migration to new central ring connecting Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom
• October 2001: migration from TEN-155 to GÉANT started
• 1 December 2001: TEN-155 closed down

RCCN (Portugal)
RESTENA (Luxembourg)
RedIRIS (Spain)
RENATER (France)
SURFnet (Netherlands)
SWITCH (Switzerland)
UKERNA/JANET (UK)

Associated Partners:
CERN
Telebit Communications A/S
ERCIM