Caen la Mer is moving into top gear by equipping 8 of its Development Zones with a Very High Bandwidth (VHB) fibre optic network. By offering this network to businesses looking to set up and requiring such a service, the conurbation is keeping a step ahead. A digital revolution is in the making, at the speed of light.

Caen la Mer, home to Very High Bandwidth | Companies that use VHB

Caen la Mer, home to Very High Bandwidth
Caen hosted the 3rd National Forum on Very High Bandwidth last January. Organised by the association IDEAL, which reunites several public authorities throughout France, and in partnership with Caen la Mer, the event was the opportunity for its many delegates from both public authorities and specialised companies from across the nation, to share their experience in this strategic field. And also the occasion to stress that access to very high bandwidth has become an essential ingredient for business competitiveness. Caen la Mer was fast to catch on by creating a local VHB communication network involving a total of 150 kilometres of fibre optic cabling and amusingly baptised “1066″.

Companies that use VHB
CRFTEch is a company specialising in the design of embedded radio-frequency circuits. Its team is currently developing a frequency synthesiser for high bandwidth offering outstanding noise phase performance. It will enable the extremely accurate transmission of complex and voluminous information. “The capacities offered by very high bandwidth facilitate the exchange of technical information, which is now totally dematerialised, with our clients and component manufacturers, all of which are abroad,” highlights Fabrice Jovenin, Chairman of CRFTech. The possibility of exchanging GDSII format files that can weigh in at up to 500 megabytes, illustrates our professionalism to our various contacts. CRFTech is currently accommodated within the Plug N’Work innovative technology enterprise zone within the EffiScience science park in Colombelles. The call centre Webhelp also has a considerable demand for high bandwidth for the transmission of vocal communication between its operators and callers. “Failing to guarantee client service is simply impossible in our field of activity,” states Vincent Tachet, Assistant General Manager of the Webhelp Group. “VHB enables us to overcome voice traffic constraints (RTP, RTCP), and can also detect problems (lost or desequenced packets, jitter, latency…). We are delighted with the stability of our communication, together with the secure architecture offered by Caen.com. It offers a link between our Caen-based sites and those in Lyon and Vélizy, where our central systems are located.”

Thanks to fibre optic, no more speed limits. Looking to boost its territorial attractiveness and reinforce the competitiveness of its businesses, Caen la Mer initiated, as early as 2004, the construction of a very high bandwidth ⁽¹⁾ communications network, named “1066 “. Covering a distance of approximately 150 kilometres, this genuine information motorway, both fast and reliable, was made possible thanks to a publicly and privately funded investment of some €12,700,000. After having initially brought fibre optic to the doorstep of its development zones, Caen.com (Covage group), Caen la Mer’s public initiative network delegate, then began to connect the various businesses accommodated there. “Around 550 businesses, occupying a total of 250 buildings (each accommodating at least 4 companies) across 8 of the conurbation’s serviced development zones now have access to fibre optic and to services that are essential for maintaining their competitiveness,” highlights Jean-Paul Leroy, in charge of Caen la Mer’s high bandwidth project. “Now all they need to do is contact one of the market’s telecommunications operators.” The latter, specialised ⁽³⁾ in specific service offers for such businesses (Internet access, videoconferencing, IP telephony, decentralised data backup, server hosting…) are delighted to provide sales proposals. “We prepare specific offers adapted to suit telecom operators, so that they can develop their services at the most competitive price possible,” notes Antoine Dumas from Caen.com.

New services

Over and above extremely high bandwidth, fibre optic also avoids long lines between the subscriber and the connection hub. Contrary to the copper wire networks used by other technologies and within which signals weaken after a few kilometres, fibre signals remain strong over distance. “The throughput offered by fibre optic can, of course, easily cover all of the bandwidth requirements for standard web applications (navigation and VoIP telephony),” stresses Jean-Paul Leroy. “But it also implies the development of new services that require extremely powerful bandwidth. We can now offer guaranteed throughput ranging from 1 megabyte to several gigabytes.” At such speed, new and specific business services (electronic commerce, distance learning, business intelligence, work sharing for project teams, videoconferencing, IP telephony…) are sure to develop. “A further advantage is that service provision using fibre optic is simple,” adds Antoine Dumas. “An SME can adapt its throughput demand to its changing needs.” Jean-Paul Leroy adds, “It’s important for the region’s businesses in general, but it’s also a strategic choice for those in the ICT sector, which is abundant and highly dynamic throughout Caen la Mer.”

A territorial marketing challenge

Caen la Mer is consequently among the public authorities that have won the fibre optic wager. By anticipating the demands of its SMEs, it has prepared its territory for fierce competition in the field. “This offer is an integral part of our territorial marketing offer, and is essential for the conurbation’s economic attractiveness and for encouraging the arrival of new businesses or the development of new activities,” highlights Jean-Paul Leroy; The conurbation has reunited all of the necessary ingredients to ensure its businesses the best possible service at the most affordable price. But Caen la Mer and Caen.com are not planning to stop there: a further 13 development zones are due for connection in the coming months. Similarly, all new residential and development zone projects will now systematically integrate the required equipment to deploy very high bandwidth. Not having access to fibre optic is a form of territorial discrimination, whereas having it is, on the contrary, a form of positive discrimination. Caen la Mer is now a connected conurbation

(1) Fibre optic is currently the most efficient technology for data transfer. Data is transmitted at the speed of light, via a bandwidth the throughput of which is perfectly symmetrical (equivalent throughput in transmission and reception), 100% guaranteed (from 1 megabyte/second to 1 gigabyte/second) and extremely reliable.
(2) Citis (Hérouville Saint-Clair), Espace d’Entreprises (Saint-Contest), Le Clos de la Tête (Giberville), Le Plateau in Colombelles, Object’Ifs Sud, the Parc Athéna (Saint-Contest), La Grande Plaine (Bretteville-sur-Odon) and the Parc Tertiaire with Inter Ikea (Fleury-sur-Orne).
(3) Twenty operators are available. Major national “unbundling” operators (Orange, SFR, Free), the leading business service operators (Verizon, Completel, COLT, Adista, Bouygues Télécom, Altitude, Risc Group, Sanef Télécom). Local and developing operators such as Norm’Host.

> Jean-Paul Leroy
Caen la Mer IT and Telecommunications department,
6 avenue de Dubna - 14200 Hérouville-Saint-Clair
Tel: 02 31 28 40 46
Website: www.caenlamer.fr/

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