About LEARN: Current Initiatives
Although LEARN is a robust and mature organization, the Board of Directors understands the future vitality and value of our organization is not secured by our previous accomplishments and successes. Global collaboration, innovation, scientific discovery, and technological advances provide an unparalleled opportunity to meet the challenges and demands of today and tomorrow. This dynamic environment requires that LEARN continue to be a nimble and responsive organization that is focused on the future.
Expanding Access
LEARN, the University of Texas System, and the University of Houston System are collaborating on a project to deploy a fiber-based network segment between Galveston and Houston. The segment will include connectivity at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas A&M University at Galveston, the University of Houston, and the medical center in Houston. The project will also include a metropolitan segment in Houston to connect this project with LEARN's network at the Hardy Street POP in Houston.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides $7.2 billion in funding to enhance the availability of broadband services throughout the United States. These federal funds are being administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in the Department of Commerce and the Rural Utilities Service in the Department of Agriculture. LEARN has established a working group to develop a Department of Commerce grant application to extend access to LEARN's network to communities that are unserved and to create optical loops to protect network segments that are currently network spurs. LEARN's grant proposal will focus on connecting key community anchor institutions with the LEARN backbone.
UTMB provides critical healthcare services to over 200 locations throughout Texas. UTMB has initiated a new network design to support access to their healthcare services. The new design will utilize LEARN as the middle mile carrier of the UTMB's statewide network and will provide a distributed network topology providing high performance, fewer potential points of failure, high capacity bandwidth, and lower costs.
Internet2
Internet2 is an advanced networking, non-profit consortium comprised of more than 200 universities in the United States, 70 leading corporations, 45 governmental agencies and laboratories, and over 50 international partner organizations. The fall member meeting for Internet2 was held in San Antonio. LEARN and the University of Texas provided the network support and served as the co-hosts for this prestigious gathering of people from around the world. Hosting this conference was an honor and it brought worldwide recognition and substantial economic activity to Texas.
LEARN - NTG Merger
The North Texas GigaPoP (NTG) is a consortium of institutions in the Dallas - Ft. Worth metroplex that share high speed network resources. Currently, the members of NTG include the University of North Texas, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Christian University, Southern Methodist University, the National Weather Service, and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.
LEARN and NTG share similar missions, mutual interests, common objectives and member institutions. Both LEARN and NTG believe merging the two organizations will enhance collaboration, create operational efficiencies, and save money. Therefore, the parties have agreed to merge NTG into LEARN. The merger agreement has been finalized and we anticipate receiving the final signature in the next 30 days.