paper evento Ubuntunet Connect 2019

1. RNP’s strategy for deploying optical
infrastructures in partnership with
electrical companies and ISPs
Eduardo GRIZENDI1
, Oswaldo ALVES, Douglas DAMALIO, Thiago SILVA2
RNP – Rede Nacional de Ensino e Pesquisa, www.rnp.br
1
Av. Dr. André Tosello, 209, Cidade Universitária, 13083-886, Campinas, SP, Brazil
Tel: + 55 19 3787.3300, Fax: + 55 19 3787.3301
Email: eduardo.grizendi@rnp.br, oswaldo.alves@rnp.br, douglas.damalio@rnp.br
2
Rua Lauro Müller, 116, sala 1103, Botafogo, 22290-906, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
Tel: + 55 21 2102.9660, Fax: + 55 21 2279.3731
Email: thiago.silva@rnp.br
Abstract
A NREN, according to the World Telecommunication / ICT Development Report 2010 (ICT
Development Report, 2010), is a specialized internet service provider (ISP) “dedicated to
supporting the needs of research and education communities within a country”. Therefore,
the fundamental purpose of an NREN is to provide their dedicated services that address the
needs of their communities, with quality, adequate capacity and comprehensive coverage
throughout its region of operation.
However, not always the quality and adequate capacity, in all its coverage area, are possible,
mainly, for the lack of a good and robust telecommunications infrastructure. RNP, the
Brazilian NREN, compelled to improve its service offerings, has been facing this problem, by
building and sharing theses built infrastructures, through partnerships established with
Electric Power Transmission Companies (“Electrics”) and ISPs.
With “Electrics”, OPGW cable holders, RNP is deploying its new generation of backbone,
with multi-channel optical links, starting at 100 Gb/s, and significantly reducing costs,
eliminating, through win-win partnerships, IRU purchase or rent, of dark fibre or fraction of
spectrum, or even by simply hiring capacity for these links.
As well, with ISP, RNP is deploying metropolitan networks, based on joint construction, that
has reduced drastically theirs costs, yet with the benefit of the provider partner maintain the
infrastructure at no cost to RNP, guaranteed through a service level agreement (SLA).
This paper aims to present in more detail this strategy, sharing with others NRENs who also
suffer with the lack of a good and robust telecommunication infrastructure for offering their
services, this learning gained over the last years.
Keywords
Telecommunication infrastructure, joint construction, backbone, metropolitan network,
partnership.

2. 1. Introduction
A NREN, according to the World Telecommunication / ICT Development Report 2010, is a
specialized internet service provider (ISP) “dedicated to supporting the needs of research and
education communities within a country”. Therefore, the fundamental purpose of an NREN is
to provide their dedicated services that address the needs of their communities, with quality,
adequate capacity and comprehensive coverage throughout its region of operation.
However, not always the quality and adequate capacity are possible, mainly, for the lack of a
good and strong telecommunications infrastructure, so that its connectivity service has
“generous band”, for the use at education and research activities, and for their value-added
services to promote collaborative research work and facilitate teaching activities.
NRENs, where there are not so good telecommunications infrastructures, depend on public
policies to stimulate their construction, and the abundant supply of dark fibre, spectrum
portions or even high capacity, for their backbones, and last miles, to serve their user
institutions, with high quality and competitively priced.
RNP, the Brazilian NREN, compelled to improve its service offerings, has been facing this
problem by shifting its circuits hiring strategy for its backbone and their ''last miles”, or even
isolated and non-shared construction of metropolitan networks, by a strategy of building in
partnership and sharing infrastructure. For this, it has changed their processes of planning,
construction, operation and maintenance of its optical infrastructures.
Through partnerships established with Electric Power Transmission Companies (“Electrics”),
OPGW cable holders, RNP is deploying its new generation of backbone, with multi-channel
optical links, starting at 100 G b/s, and significantly reducing costs. Through win-win
strategy, it has eliminated the need for payment by the IRU or rent, of dark fibre or fraction
of spectrum, or even by simply hiring capacity for these links, swapping by investments in
lighting a dark fibre from the Electric and sharing the spectrum, fifth-fifty. The next sections
show the current and the backbone 2022, including this strategy of partnership with the
“Electrics” to deploy this new generation.
In addition, by building together with ISP, it has drastically reduced the cost of deploying
metropolitan networks and backhauls, where construction is required, with the benefit of the
provider partner maintain the infrastructure at no cost to it, guaranteed through a service level
agreement (SLA). Based on assumption of counterparts, both RNP and ISP, divide the cost
and the built infrastructure, fifty-fifty. Immediately in sequence, other sections details the
strategy related with metropolitan networks.
Finally, in the final section, it concludes, putting in highlights the benefits by deploying
optical infrastructures with this strategy, contributing to the improvement of the supervision
and control of the electrical systems, in case of the “Electrics” partnerships, and the
availability of infrastructure in metropolitan networks, promoting greater offer of internet
services to the general population through these ISPs partners.

3. 2. The current RNP backbone (2019)
RNP's nationwide infrastructure, known as Rede Ipê, consists of an Internet network with
points of presence in all 26 Brazilian states and, additionally, the Federal District, and
connections to the global Internet and major education and research networks of the rest of
the world.
RNP serves almost all public and several private research and higher education institutions in
the country, and increasingly relies on the Rede Ipê to develop its activities, with the
widespread use of advanced applications and collaboration platforms communication assisted
by interconnected computers.
Due to the increase of numbers of client connections, whether from new institutions or new
campuses from those already connected, as well as special communication and collaboration
needs, the continuous expansion of the national backbone infrastructure is essential. This
expansion requires the adoption of strategies to expand the infrastructure that quickly
accommodates the growing demand of these organizations.
Figure 1 below shows the fully “gigatized” Rede Ipê backbone, with all its circuits with
bandwidth from 1 to 100 Gb/s, at the end of September 2019. In addition to these illustrated
circuits, there are some contingency circuits, but not shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 – Rede Ipê network topology in September 2019

4. This Rede Ipê backbone illustrated in Figure 1 currently contains own circuits, already
deriving from investments made in the infrastructure of one of the “Electrics” and by several
other circuits of different Brazilian operators, specially Oi, Embratel and Telebras.
3. The next generation of the RNP backbone (2022)
Backbone infrastructure growth is being planned since 2017, within the 100G backbone
deployment strategy, by 2022, based on the following points:
a) Infrastructure sharing agreement between RNP and Brazilian Companhia Hidrelétrica
de São Francisco (Chesf), with duration of 20-year, signed September 2016, which
covers approximately 6,900 km of optical fibers in the Northeast Region. Originally
planned to be illuminated in 3 phases over three years, was updated to be illuminated
in two phases, as shown in Figure 2 (phase I in cyan and phase II in green). The
implementation of phase I and the consequent commissioning took place in August
2019.
Figure 2 – Project Phases of the new 100G Backbone with Chesf (Phase I: Cyan, Phase II: Green)
b) Infrastructure sharing agreement between RNP and Brazilian Furnas Centrais
Elétricas (Furnas), with duration of 20-year, signed in November 2017, covering
approximately 4,600 km of optical fibers in Southeastern, Midwest and southern
Brazil. Originally planned to be illuminated in three phases over three years, as
shown in Figure 3, with phase I in cyan, phase II in yellow and phase III in red
connecting São Paulo to Foz do Iguaçu Brazil, frontier with Paraguay.

5. Figure 3 – Project phases of the new 100G backbone with Furnas (phase I: cyan, phase II: yellow and phase III
in red)
c) Infrastructure sharing agreement between RNP and Brazilian Eletrosul Centrais
Elétricas (Eletrosul), with duration of 20-year, signed in January 2018, covering
approximately 5,000 km of optical fibers in Southeastern, Midwest and Southern
Brazil. It is designed to be illuminated in four phases over three years, as shown in
Figure 4, with phase I in cyan , phase II in red,, phase III in yellow, and phase IV in
blue.

6. Figure 4 – Project phases of the new 100G backbone with Eletrosul (phase I: cyan, phase II: red, phase III:
yellow and phase IV: blue)
d) Other infrastructure sharing agreements that RNP has with other power transmition
companies, often with duration of 20-years, for the use of fiber optic pair of its
OPGW optical cables, routes in the Midwest, North and Northeast, specially with the
Taesa, signed in May 2019, which includes the Araraquara – Londrina, and Brasília -
Salvador routes. These routes are important for the connection of the Southeast to the
South region and Midwest and Northeast jointing the two optical infrastructures of
Furnas and Eletrosul and Brazilian capital(Brasília-DF) and Salvador, Bahia state
capital, respectively, as shown in Figure 5, and to be illuminated in a single phase.

7. Figure 5 – Routes of new 100G backbone with Taesa (phase I – red and phase II - blue)
e) Agreement between RNP and Telebras, a Brazilian Public Telecommunication
Company, within the scope of the National Broadband Plan, established in early 2019
and effective for 15 years, for sharing optical infrastructure, which foresees RNP's
investments in optical modules, in swapping for use, without cost, optical channels in
the Telebras backbone optical infrastructure. With this agreement, RNP will have 14
circuits of 100 Gb/s for the backbone, mainly in the routes of the north and Midwest,
as shown in Figure 6, in the first quarter of 2021, being deployed over this and the
next year.

8. Figure 6 – Optical routes for new 100 G Backbone, derived from the Telebras agreement
f) RNP's 10 and 100 Gb / s optical channel swap agreements and capacities with
different regional providers, to obtain complementary backbone circuits that could not
be provisioned through the above agreements, with Telebras and the electricity sector
companies - Chesf, Furnas, Eletrosul and Taesa.
Figure 7 below illustrates the pursued 100G backbone for 2022 and the strategic partnerships
to deploy it.
In sequence, Figure 8 shows the 2022 backbone and, alongside, the configuration of
international connections until 2022, directly to the USA, Europe and Africa.

9. Figure 7 – 100 G Backbone 2022 and the strategic partnerships

10. Figure 8 – 100 Backbone 2022 and the international links

11. All of the agreements with Power Companies (“Electrics”) - Chesf, Furnas, Taesa &
Eletrosul (OPGW holders), follow the same strategy:
 Agreement for 20 years,
 RoU (Right of Use) of 1 dark fiber pair
 No IRU (Indefeasible Right of Use) direct payment
 Counterpart: RNP lit up w/ 40 optical channels, 20/20 RNP/Power Company
 Initially 2 X 100G, 1 X 100G each one
 All routes of the Power Company, except Taesa
Initially, it was planned to implement phase I of these partnerships with the Power
Transmission Companies (Chesf, Furnas and Eletrosul) in 2018 and 2019. However, due to
the difficulties of making resources available to implement them, it was only possible, until
now, the implementation Chesf Phase I, completed in July 2019, as shown in Figure 9, and
the beginning of the implementation of Furnas and Eletrosul Phase I, expected to be
completed in December, 2019, as shown in Figure 10.
Figure 9 - Phase I - Green of the new100G Backbone 2022 with Chesf

12. Figure 10 – Phase I - Furnas green and Phase I Eletrosul - red, in progress, of the new 100G Backbone 2022,
respectively, with Furnas and Eletrosul
In order to meet the network implementation deadline (Q1 2022), mitigating the need to
increase recurring expenses with hiring new backbone circuits, RNP seeks to complement
investments of about US $ 18 million in three years, required for activation of the Southeast-
Midwest and South optical routes.
The other circuits of the new 100G Backbone 2022, not belonging to the Chesf, Eletrosul,
Furnas and Taesa phases routes, and not resulting from the partnership with Telebras for the
Midwest and North region, shall be supplied through exchanges with providers and
contracting with telecommunications operators and providers
As RNP is deploying its backbone with multiple optical channels available along several
routes, it permits to share the backbone built with regional ISPs and States
Information Highways (“Infovias”)
4. The Metropolitan Network Deployment Program (Redecomeps)
The Redecomep (Community Education and Research Networks) Initiative is part of a
broader Ministry of Science and Technology, Innovations and Communications (MCTIC)
action aimed at deploying high-speed optical networks in the country's major metropolitan
regions, capitals, and major inland cities with two or more public institutions of education
and research - federal and state.
In capital cities, these networks connect directly to RNP's Points of Presence (PoPs). Inside,
these networks connect to Aggregation Points (PoA), which, in turn, are connected to RNP
Points of Presence (PoP).
The Redecomep Initiative, coordinated by RNP, supported by its Brazilian Regulatory
Agency SLP (Private Limited Service) License authorization, aims to deploy optical
infrastructures in cities and metropolitan regions, linking research and higher education
institutions. The network deployment model foresees the construction of entirely new
infrastructure and / or the use of existing ducts, cables and optical fibers, through partnerships

13. for joint construction, sharing and maintenance.
Redecomep networks deployed in the interior are connected to the RNP State PoP through
transport circuits, initially at 1 Gb/s and 10 Gb/s, and 100 Gb/s transport circuits in the
medium term. To assist the operation of the PoP in each capital, RNP implements PoAs
(Aggregation Points) at the Redecomeps of inner cities, at one of the participating institutions
of the network, preferably at a federal or state public university campus or headquarters in
these cities. A PoA supports the PoP in the capital, for attending the final service to their
institutions remotely.
There are currently about 40 operational Redecomeps throughout Brazil, distributed in
capitals and inner. Figure 11 shows the locations where there are Redecomeps, deployed until
July 2019.
Figure 11 – Redecomep locations deployed, July 2019.
Table 1 shows the locations and the current status of Redecomeps. About 860 institutions are
currently connected to these networks. Except the networks of São Paulo, Belo Horizonte,
Ouro Preto and Mariana, which are IRU - Indefeasible Rights of Use in the market; and João
Pessoa and Porto Velho, which are the result of Technical Cooperation Agreements between

14. RNP and State Governments, all the others are their own constructions.
Tabel 1 – Redecomeps locations and deployment status, July 2019.
Southeast Region Status for swapping
ES Vitória In operation Available
MG
Belo Horizonte In operation Unavailable for swapping
Ouro Preto & Mariana In operation Unavailable for swapping
RJ
Rio de Janeiro In operation Available
Niterói In operation Available
Petrópolis In operation Available
SP
Campinas In operation Available
São Carlos In operation Available
São Paulo In operation Unavailable for swapping
Northeast Region
AL Maceió In operation Available
BA
Salvador In operation Available
Juazeiro In operation Available
Senhor do Bonfim Executive project December, 2020
CE Fortaleza In operation Available
MA
São Luís In operation Available
Codó Executive project December, 2020
Pinheiro Executive project December, 2020
Imperatriz Executive project December, 2020
PE
Recife In operation Available
Petrolina In operation Available
PB João Pessoa In operation Available
PB Campina Grande In operation Available
PI Teresina In operation Available
RN
Natal In operation Available
Mossoró Executive project December, 2020
Caicó Executive project December, 2020
SE Aracajú In operation Available
Midwest Region
DF Brasília e satellites cites of DF In operation Available
GO Goiânia In operation Available
MS Campo Grande In operation Available
Dourados Executive project December, 2020
MT Cuiabá In operation Available
North Region
AC Rio Branco In operation Available
AP Macapá In operation Available
AM Manaus In operation Available
PA
Belém In operation Available
Altamira In operation Available
Castanhal In operation Available
Marabá In operation Available

15. 5. The New Metropolitan Networks Deployment Strategy and the
Expansion of Existing Redecomep Networks
Initially, these metropolitan networks of the Redecomep Initiative were fully implemented by
itself RNP.
From 2016, the new established strategy required to implement such networks always in
partnership with ISP. After the pre-project of a network, the partner ISP is selected through a
bidding process to implement it.
ISPs wishing to submit proposals for joint construction in the locations covered by the
Redecomep Initiative should consider, in the bidding process, the required number of fiber
pairs for the RNP.
RNP acquires the optical cables required to deploy a network, and the selected ISP takes over
its launch, including the purchase and mounting of pole mounting accessories when the
method is for aerial cabling. After deployment, the RNP and the selected ISP share the
optical cable. In addition to sharing, the ISP is responsible for maintaining the network core ,
accesses and their future extensions of the deployed network, according to SLA agreed
between the parties.
In order to ensure with the electricity utility the assignment of the right to use pole space,
RNP normally agrees with the utility to assign, in return, 1 (one) or 2 (two) pairs of fiber for
it unrestricted use.
RNP also accepts the proposal to share existing ISP network infrastructure for deployment of
its networks. In such cases, ISPs wishing to submit proposals for sharing their existing
infrastructure in the localities should detail the infrastructure they may have, and the
conditions for sharing, while paying attention to the minimum amount of fiber required by
RNP. In this case, the original owners of their respective optical infrastructures themselves
must maintain shared networks.
The following are possible cases and conditions of sharing expected to be received in the
detailed proposals:
1. ISP already has part of the infrastructure in the locality of RNP's interest, but
Santarém In operation Available
RO Porto Velho In operation Unavailable for swapping.
RR Boa Vista In operation Available
TO Palmas In operation Available
South Region
RS
Porto Alegre In operation Available
Pelotas - 6ª fase In operation Available
Santa Maria In operation Available
PR
Curitiba In operation Available
Londrina Executive project December, 2020
Ponta Grossa Executive project December, 2020
SC Florianópolis In operation Available

16. it is interested in expanding it and, therefore, proposes to build jointly, as
described above, complementary, to meet RNP's points of interest, according
to the topology agreed between the yielding fiber pairs where it already has
infrastructure.
2. ISP already has the full infrastructure in the locality, which meets RNP's
points of interest, according to a topology agreed between the parties, and
proposes to share it, assigning fiber pairs throughout its infrastructure, and
proposing to receive, in exchange, as counterpart, fiber pairs in existing RNP
networks, from Table 1
The possible swap may be made, Km X Km, in the ratio of 1: 1 or 1: X, if one side considers
its given infrastructure of higher value than the received infrastructure. This can occur if the
locations are of significant size difference between them. RNP already has experience in
barter and practices market valuation, facilitating the measurement of the value of the
infrastructure involved in the barter (Grizendi, 2019).
The fiber exchange strategy with ISPs is also practiced for the expansion of existing
metropolitan networks and even for their maintenance. In case of:
 Swapping of fiber pairs vs. maintenance in the same location, RNP: cedes 1 (one)
fiber pair, ISP: undertakes to provide maintenance under SLA: Examples: Manaus,
Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre;
 Swapping of fiber pairs in same/different location(s) or long-distance fiber, fiber x
fiber (km-pair) in the same (1:1) or different location (1:n); fiber x fiber (km-pair) of
metro network for long-distance fiber (1:n)
Figures 12 and 13 below exemplify, respectively, a metropolitan network constructed in
conjunction with ISP and another expanded metropolitan network through ISP fiber
exchange.

17. Figure 12 – Caruarú - PE metropolitan network, built jointly with ISP BRFibra
Figure13 - Porto Alegre- RS metropolitan network, expanded through fiber swapping with ISP Adylnet
6. Conclusions
As seem, through partnerships established with Power Transmission Companies
(“Electrics”), OPGW cable holders, RNP is deploying its new generation of backbone, with
multi-channel optical links, starting at 100 Gb/s. At the same time, RNP is significantly
reducing costs, according as it has eliminated the need for payment by the IRU or rent, of

18. dark fiber or fraction of spectrum, or even by simply hiring capacity for these links.
Also by jointly building with ISP, it has drastically reduced the cost of deploying
metropolitan networks and backhauls, where construction is required, yet with the benefit of
the provider partner maintain the infrastructure at no cost to it, guaranteed through a service
level agreement (SLA).
As such, RNP is deploying optical infrastructures where they do not exist or are precarious
for providing services to their communities while sharing their infrastructure and
collaborating with public policy. In addition, with this strategy, it contributes to the
improvement of the supervision and control of the "Electrics" systems, and the availability of
infrastructure in metropolitan networks, promoting greater offer of internet services to the
general population through these ISP partners.
Concluding, by deploying optical infrastructures with these strategies, RNP improves its
infrastructure to provide better services. While same time, it contributes to the improvement
of the supervision and control of the electrical systems, in case of the “Electrics”
partnerships, and the availability of infrastructure in metropolitan networks, promoting
greater offer of internet services to the general population through these ISPs partners
(Grizendi, 2019).

19. References
ICT Development Report (2010), “Monitoring the WSIS Targets”, WSIS Forum 2010 and the
ITU World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-10), May 2010, p.10.
Baillie, L. & Llott, L. (2010) ‘Promoting the Dignity of Patients in Perioperative Practice’
Journal of Perioperative Practice. 20 (8) pp. 278-282.
Grizendi, E. (2019). “A “Uberização” das Redes de Telecomunicações” Telesintese, accessed
in November 2019.
http://www.telesintese.com.br/eduardo-grizendi-a-uberizacao-das-redes-de-telecomunicacoes/
Biographies
Eduardo Grizendi is Director of Engineering and Operations at RNP. Taught at Instituto
Nacional de Telecomunicações (Inatel), in Santa Rita do Sapucaí, MG, Brazil. Hold Master
of Science in Telecommunication Systems from Inatel, and MBA in Business from Fundação
Getúlio Vargas (FGV). Graduated in Electronic Engineering at Instituto Tecnológico de
Aeronáutica (ITA). He has worked in the field of telecommunications since 80’s, initially in
R&D institutions, and afterwards, in telecommunications carriers and consulting services.
Oswaldo Alves is Project Coordinator at RNP where is responsible for the 7th Generations
backbone program. Acquired MBA degree as Project Manager from Federal University
Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil In 2009, he was graduate degree as
Telecommunications Engineer at Universidade Jorge Amado, Salvador, BA, Brazil. He has
been working in the RNP since 2010.
Douglas Damalio is Senior Operations Analyst at RNP. Acquired Master's degree in
Computer Science from Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE. Graduated in
Computer Science at Federal University of Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil. He has been working in
the telecommunications area since 2012, when he joined in RNP Engineering team
Thiago Silva is a Senior Network Engineer at RNP. He holds a MBA in IT Strategy
Management, from Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, and graduate degree
in Telecommunications Engineer at University Gama Filho, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. He
has worked in the field of telecommunication and computer network since 2001, initially in
operations, afterwards in consulting and education and currently with network engineering.