April 2004
Final segment operational as ORION completes network
"This is our last spike"
The Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network (ORION), one of the world's largest and most advanced Research and Education (R&E) networks, was officially completed just weeks ago when the last of 22 Points of Presence (PoPs) became operational, in Timmins Ontario.
The ORION network equipment, installed at Northern College, was successfully connected the afternoon of March 31, thereby officially completing the network.
Timmins is located 680 km north of Toronto, and is one of ORION’s most northern connection points.
"This is our 'Last Spike' and a truly exciting day for us," said ORION President and CEO Phil Baker, whose team led the design and completion of ORION in record time, spanning 4,200 kilometers of high-speed fibre optic infrastructure, connecting 21 cities, from Windsor to Ottawa, and from Toronto to Thunder Bay.
"What has been achieved is truly remarkable," he said, acknowledging the contribution of ORION partners, including the Government of Ontario, CANARIE, Bell Canada, Nortel Networks, Hydro One Telecom, Cisco Systems and other regional telecom providers and partners.
Northern College, which hosts the Timmins equipment, expects to connect to the network very shortly.
“We are absolutely delighted that this last link has been completed, bringing leading-edge network capability to Northern College. This network has the ability to move massive volumes of voice, data and video images at light speed to any of the other 21 points of presence on the network,” said Fred Gibbons, Acting President. “While serving as a tool primarily for education and research, the potential to assist and promote economic development throughout the Timmins area is very real,” he said.
"ORION will transform the way Ontario researchers and organizations collaborate with each other and their colleagues around the world," said University of Windsor President Dr. Ross Paul, Chair of the board of the Optical Regional Advanced Network of Ontario (ORANO), which owns and operates the not-for-profit network.
"By bringing us the most advanced optical network infrastructure in Canada, ORION sets the stage for fantastic new developments in research and education throughout the Province. Our best researchers, teachers and students will now have the high speed and high-powered connections that will allow them to excel in the new digital economy," he said.
"Let me offer you all at ORION who have contributed to this milestone my heartiest congratulations. The right vision, coupled with a lot of work and strong support from the government of Ontario and your partners has led to a world-leading research and education network. We at CANARIE are proud to be associated with such a great achievement," said Andrew Bjerring, President of CANARIE, which operates the CA*net 4 national R&E network and funding contributor to the ORION project.
Some 54 institutions and organizations have already signed on to the ORION network, including 19 of Ontario's 20 universities, 19 of 24 colleges, and a number of teaching hospitals, research labs and some school boards. Many institutions are expected to sign on in the months ahead.
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