The Joint Universities Computer Centre (JUCC) of Hong Kong is using the high-speed, high-bandwidth power of Metro Ethernet technology from Nortel to allow faculty and students of its eight member universities to communicate and collaborate in real-time with counterparts in Asia and around the world.

The new JUCC network enhances collaborative research and resource sharing capabilities for its eight-member universities, providing instant online access to high-bandwidth services such as library databases, Web-based courses, distance learning, telemedicine, multimedia applications, video conferencing and more. Other universities, local and overseas, will connect to the new Metro Ethernet infrastructure via JUCC's existing wide area network (WAN) -- the Hong Kong Academic and Research Network (HARNET).

"The Joint Universities Computer Centre's mission is to contribute to the ongoing development of information technology in the Hong Kong educational community and to advance our relationship with other academic institutions," said Dr. Nam Ng, director, JUCC. "Nortel's solution is enabling us to create a next-generation networking environment for our eight-member institutions and to provide a vehicle for expanding our contribution to education and research across our region and internationally."

"Nortel technology provides the foundation for JUCC to create a real-time collaborative communications environment for its universities," said David Wong, managing director, Hong Kong, Nortel. "The high-speed capabilities of Nortel's Metro Ethernet technology boost student and staff productivity and efficiency, as well as enhance their ability to work together on research projects and education initiatives wherever their colleagues are located."

JUCC is deploying Nortel's Optical Multiservice Edge 6500 and Optical Metro 5000 Series platforms -- integral components of Nortel's Metro Ethernet Solutions -- to provide Gigabit Ethernet and Fiber Channel connectivity for the collaborative research network and for inter-university data storage applications.

Member institutions of the JUCC initiative are: University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Lingnan University and Hong Kong Institute of Education. Implementation of the new JUCC network has been handled by Nortel Hong Kong business partner PCCW.

More than 10,000 education customers worldwide have installed communications solutions from Nortel. In global research and education, Nortel has provided optical solutions to Netherlands-based SURFnet and Internet2 in the United States, and to Canada's advanced Internet development organization, CANARIE.

The Nortel Metro Ethernet Networks portfolio includes solutions for multiservice optical, carrier Ethernet and wireless backhaul. The portfolio enables service providers to address the growth of high-bandwidth video and data applications in their metro networks by deploying Ethernet as the universal transport layer for any service they wish to offer, including next-generation services such as triple and quadruple play, wireless video and data and Ethernet business connectivity.