High-Speed Link Achieved Between CENIC's California Research and Education Network and CAnet 4 Canadian High-Performance Optical Network

Cypress, CA - June 15, 2006 - The Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) today announced the connection of its high-performance California Research and Education Network (CalREN) to CAnet 4, the Canadian research and education network managed by CANARIE. This Gigabit link was announced at the Canada-California Strategic Innovation Partnership Summit which took place June 11-12 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

CAnet 3 was the world's first national-level optical research and education network and remains among the most advanced such networks in the world. The next-generation CAnet 4's connection to CalREN is located in Seattle at the Pacific Wave international peering facility, a partnership venture between CENIC and the Pacific Northwest Gigapop.

During the first Canada-California partnership summit in January 2006, held at UCLA, group leaders focused on a high-bandwidth connection between Canada and California as an absolutely vital part of any collaboration. According to the summary of proceedings from that event, "connecting California to CANARIE should be a high priority, as this powerful connection could serve as an enabling platform for all the other envisioned collaborations in our new Canada-California Partnership." The CENIC/CANARIE connection is can benefit a variety of researchers including those at the Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC) in Ottawa, the primary Canadian laboratory for research and development in advanced telecommunications.

"We're delighted to have achieved this connection between the two networks, and we look forward to empowering a close, fruitful relationship between researchers in Canada and California," said Jim Dolgonas, President and Chief Operating Officer of CENIC. "Both summits addressed multiple areas of study and research where a close working relationship between Canada and California will result in enormous innovation, and we're very excited at the prospect of working with CANARIE to enable that."

The Canada-California Strategic Innovation Partnership Summit launched the framework for a major partnership between the nation and the state. Luminaries from both countries met during the event to focus on strategic research cooperation between Canada and California and to pursue new approaches to more effectively transfer knowledge and skills to the private sector. The key themes for cooperation identified at the first summit in Los Angeles in January 2006 as offering strong potential for strategic partnerships include stem cells & regenerative medicines, ICT/broadband internet connectivity, advanced transportation & energy, nanotechnology, infectious diseases, and highly qualified human resources.

About CENIC

California's education and research communities leverage their networking resources under CENIC, the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California, in order to obtain cost-effective, high-bandwidth networking to support their missions and answer the needs of their faculty, staff, and students. CENIC designs, implements, and operates CalREN, the California Research and Education Network, a high-bandwidth, high-capacity Internet network specially designed to meet the unique requirements of these communities, and to which the vast majority of the state.s K-20 educational institutions are connected. In order to facilitate collaboration in education and research, CENIC also provides connectivity to non-California institutions and industry research organizations with which CENIC's Associate researchers and educators are engaged.

CENIC is governed by its member institutions. Representatives from these institutions also donate expertise through their participation in various committees designed to ensure that CENIC is managed effectively and efficiently, and to support the continued evolution of the network as technology advances.

About CANARIE and CAnet

CANARIE is Canada's advanced Internet organization, a not-for-profit corporation funded by Industry Canada to facilitate the development and use of next-generation research networks and the applications and services that run on them. CANARIE promotes collaboration among key sectors and partners with innovators around the world, and in so doing stimulates innovation and growth and helps to deliver social, cultural, and economic benefits to all Canadians. CAnet 4, Canada's national research and education network, is developed and operated by CANARIE. CANARIE positions Canada as the global leader in advanced networking, and is supported by its members, project partners, and the Government of Canada. For more information, visit http://www.canarie.ca/.