Strategic alliance
Since early 2002 SARA Computing and Networking Services is an active participant in a strategic alliance. This alliance has been established for the set-up and exploitation of an open fiber network with a reliable future for the residents and companies of Almere: the Almere fiber-to-the-home project named “Almere Fiber Pilot”. Besides SARA and service provider UNET, this alliance consists of top companies in ICT and telecom, such as BT, BT, Cisco, IBM, and Schuuring.

Distribution area
At first, the area of distribution of the Almere Fiber Pilot will be the “Staatsliedenbuurt” and the “Noorderplassen”, as well as the industrial parks “Randstad”, where SARA Almere is based, and “Markerkant”. Also a part of the center, including the town hall, the WTC and the Flevo hospital, will be connected. In 2004 will be investigated to which other Almere districts will be expanded.

New services
In 2003, several partners of the alliance, together with the Municipality of Almere, have worked intensively on the fiber network that forms the infrastructure for a large number of (new) services, varying from (very fast) Internet en Voice-over-IP telephony (shortly: VOIP) to digital radio and television. Besides, soon applications for social services, security, communication and entertainment will be provided. The project in Almere distinguishes itself from other projects by supplying the most important services at a competing rate as from the moment the first connection has been realized.

Efficient fiber network
The fiber network has a very efficient design. This makes it possible to provide – at lower costs – a higher bandwidth than is offered by comparable projects. Speeds of 100 Mb/s for consumers, and even 1 Gb/s for companies, can be realized. The exploitation of the network is based on an open infrastructure, so that it can be used for services supplied by different providers. This stimulates the diversity of services, as well as the speed of development of new applications and communities.

SARA as vital link
The basis of the network is situated in the SARA building at Randstad 22-153. SARA is responsible for the housing and management of the active network components. With a redundant dark fiber infrastructure SARA provides the connectivity between Almere and Amsterdam, where the connection with the worldwide Internet has been realized. The facilities of SARA form an essential link in the realization of this ambitious project.