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INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE REWORKED

Rising demand and the emergence of innovative technologies is forcing researchers to rethink the infrastructure of the Internet as we know it. The National Science Foundation has provided researchers at Stanford University, along with seven other institutions, $7.5 million over five years to explore the options and outcomes that would accompany a massive reconstruction of the Internet.

While 10 million American homes use copper wire for their broadband Internet access, researchers are conceiving a fiberoptic network that could reach 100 million households within a few years. Such a network would provide users with a data speed more than 2,000 times faster than dial-up and around 100 times faster than DSL, transferring at about 100 megabits per second. The delivery of high definition video would also be simplified, as file size would cease to limit what is sent over the Internet.

Carnegie Mellon University, AT&T Research Labs, Fraser Research Inc., Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, Internet 2, the University of California- Berkeley and Rice University will also be receiving NSF grants.

Planners hope for a network that is more reliable, leaves room for improvements, remains economically sustainable, is easier to use, and has heightened security.

Also, researchers hope that simplifying the Internet's structure will improve streaming quality and may provide the ability to personalize video recordings, much like an improved TiVo or Netflix.

Not only will such an overhaul affect personal entertainment, it could give a major boost to the economy, potentially pumping $500 billion throughout the country once the infrastructure is in place.

Scientists are currently developing blueprints for this super-network by adopting principles from security, economics, and network research. However, the initial goal is to develop a backbone network based on reliability and quality.