TITLE: REDALC, a feasability study

AUTHOR: Daniel Pimienta, Cientifical Advisor, UNION LATINA

REDALC (Red para America Latina y el Caribe) is a project aiming at the definition and realization of a comprehensive regional solution for a research network in Latin America and the Carribean.

The project was conceived by UNION LATINA, an inter governmental organisation aiming at the defense of the latin languages and cultures.

The project is currently in a feasibility study step, funded by European Economic Community, coordinated by Union Latina, and with the participation of UNESCO (CRESALC, Caracas). The study started in june 90 and will be completed by end of february 92. The REDALC feasibility study adresses the following: -diagnostic of the situation in the region in terms of research, telecommunication and research networks.
-evaluation of global regional solutions for the development of a regional network.
-selection of one solution and elaboration of a complete and staged detailed development plan.

The diagnostic part of the study is almost completed. The REDALC group, which encompasses more or less 20 people is analyzing various models based on the reality in the field. The main model argues for a different approach for setting in place a research network in developing countries (as compared to the solution used by developed countries). The fundamental differences of context between the two worlds suggest a method based on international cooperation program. This have some important implications in terms of method and organization.

REDALC is having a strong focus on the end-user (user friendly interface in national language, set of pilot applications to help and support the researcher, project evaluation in term of cost per end-user), and on the construction of a regional backbone based on satellite. REDALC is considering the maximum implementation of telecommunication normalized interfaces. Furthermore, the project aims to be supported by the national packet switching networks, and considers VSAT technology to fill the gap when no satisfactory access is identified. Finally, the project has the objective to integrate the industrial research word.