Ohio Schools Join State’s Third Frontier Network

released 07.15.03

Contact
Carly Glick The Ohio SchoolNet Commission glick@osn.state.oh.us 614.728.1886	Kathryn Kelley Ohio Supercomputer Center kkelley@osc.edu 614.292.6067

COLUMBUS, OH — The Ohio SchoolNet Commission and the Ohio Department of Education have joined the Third Frontier Network as founding members of the nation's most advanced statewide fiber optic service for education and research.

The Third Frontier Network will link the state's colleges and universities, community colleges, branch campuses, K-12 Regional Service Agencies and eventually district locations to each other and the Internet.

"We are pleased to represent Ohio's K-12 schools as equitable partners in the Third Frontier Network," said Ohio SchoolNet Executive Director H. Samuel Orth, III. "Ohio SchoolNet is committed to this project, which will enable us to ensure that Ohio’s K-12 school districts' current and future connectivity needs are met."

"Too often, students don't connect with science because they are asked to learn by rote," said Roderick G.W. Chu, chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents. "The TFN will connect classrooms to scientists in research labs trying to solve real-world problems. Students will see the development of samples, watch the experiment unfold, and share in the excitement of the results."

This equitable partnership will ensure uniform, consistent, and cost-effective access to data, video, and Internet applications by all users, including teachers, students, and administrators in Ohio.

Over the next five years, the Third Frontier Network backbone will be built in four phases that include the following segments:

• Phase 1: Establish a statewide core backbone to major cities


• Phase 2: Connect Ohio's research universities as well as the K-12 community


• Phase 3: Connect Ohio's medium and smaller universities and colleges


• Phase 4: Connect Ohio's corporate research centers with the academic research community

The organizations involved with the Third Frontier Network include Ohio SchoolNet, the Ohio Supercomputer Center, OARnet, the Ohio Department of Education, the Ohio Board of Regents, American Electric Power, WilTel Communications, and American Fiber System.