February 26, 1998

CONTACT:  Rick Moore,  (619) 594-5204

SDSU Added to National Science Foundation’s High-Speed Internet

San Diego State University is among the institutions that have been added to the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) very high performance Backbone Network Service (vBNS) that allows scientists and engineers across the country to collaborate and share powerful computing and information resources.

The vBNS is a crucial component of President Clinton’s Next Generation Internet initiative. 

“By building an Internet that is faster and more advanced, we can keep the United States at the cutting edge of Internet technology and explore new applications in distance learning, telemedicine and scientific research,” the president said.

SDSU’s president, Dr. Stephen Weber, said NSF designation is further evidence of the University’s place among elite research centers.

“The vBNS represents the future of scientific research,” he commented . “We’re very proud to be included in the prestigious group of institutions selected by the NSF to participate in this exciting project.  It is a tribute to the faculty and students who have worked so hard to establish SDSU’s national reputation in the field of scientific research.”

The sophisticated telecommunications network currently runs at 622 million bits per second and is anticipated to operate at 2.4 gigabits per second by the year 2000.  By comparison, the average home modem transmits 28,800 bits per second.

“This large capacity allows scientists to collaborate better and operate complex equipment from remote sites,” Weber added.  “Scientists studying everything from atoms to galaxies will benefit from this technology.”

The vBNS is a joint project of the NSF and the MCI Corporation designed to foster partnerships among academia, industry and government.  The addition of SDSU brings the number of institutions approved for connections to 92.

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