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2.

Their inclusiveness - i.e. their acceptance of all universities and research institutions in

the country (other than perhaps, for-profit and/or foreign-owned institutions) as members;

and

3.

Their primary purpose of taking responsibility for organizing inter-institutional

connectivity for their member institutions and providing shared connectivity for these

institutions with other NRENs world-wide.

Many NRENs also take responsibility for providing general Internet access (as opposed to inter-

NREN connectivity) for their member institutions. Some NRENs also organize inter-institutional

collaborations on capacity development, library matters and even academic matters.

The migration from VSAT to terrestrial connectivity:

Growing numbers of universities and research institutions in sub-Saharan Africa are and will be

able to enjoy broadband, terrestrial connectivity to each other, to RENs in other parts of the

World, and to the Internet generally. This will apply soonest to institutions in or near to major

cities, which means that from early 2008, many if not most of the region's major universities and

research institutions will be finished with VSAT connectivity. Some institutions will not benefit

as early as others, and many institutions in remote areas will be dependent on VSAT connections

for several years to come.

This means that each NREN will be running a growing terrestrial backbone, to which an ever

increasing proportion of its member institutions connect. Clearly the NREN is well placed to

assist its member sites to plan and prepare for their eventual connection to the NREN's terrestrial

backbone, and the concomitant termination of VSAT services. NRENs that include all of their

countries' universities and research institutions and provide VSAT services to those member sites

that still need them will be especially well positioned to manage the migration to terrestrial

connectivity for their country's institutions collectively.

Incorporation of the UbuntuNet Alliance:

Formally, the UbuntuNet Alliance for Research and Education Networking is incorporated as a

non-profit association in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. It is an association of Representative

Members, these being individuals who have been nominated by African NRENs that have been

recognized as bona fide Participating RENs by the UbuntuNet Board. Incorporation enables the

UbuntuNet Alliance to own assets, receive donations and enter into contracts internationally. As

and when necessary the Alliance will register subsidiary non-profit organizations in African

countries in which it operates.

All NRENs that operate in Africa are welcome to apply to the UbuntuNet Secretariat for

recognition as Participating RENs.

The Board is also keen to support any project team that is working to establish a bona fide NREN

and invites such teams to contact the UbuntuNet Secretariat.

Roles of the UbuntuNet Alliance:

As a regional research and education network, the UbuntuNet Alliance will work primarily with

established and emerging NRENs, seeking to inter-connect them via a pan-African broadband

research and education backbone network ­ the UbuntuNet Backbone - and to provide them, via

gateways on the UbuntuNet Backbone, with high speed connections to NRENs worldwide and

the Internet generally.

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