The Minister of Education, Mendonça Filho, launched last Friday (23) the 1 Gbps link on the campus of the Federal Institute of Pernambuco (IFPE) in Belo Jardim, Agreste, Pernambuco, which became connected to the RNP’s Point of Presence in Recife. This is the first high-speed connection in the countryside of the Northeast launched by the technological evolution project of the Brazilian academic network, the Ipê network, which receives investments from the Ministry of Education (MEC).

In the event, the minister Mendonça Filho also inaugurated works of adequacy and accessibility on campus. "IFPE of Belo Jardim gains two important actions. On the one hand, accessibility, which was a commitment of MEC, in an investment of BRL 3 million, and at the same time, fast internet, with 1 Gbps speed, which will provide another environment in terms of education for young students, officials and professors of IFPE-Belo Jardim", said Mendonça Filho.

RNP’s deputy director of Institutional Relations, Gorgonio Araújo, highlighted the importance of the MEC's vision in creating the new infrastructure of education and research, marking a new cycle of the national research network. "The support of MEC enabled the creation of Northeast Connected, an example for other regions of the country, and supported the connection of Belo Jardim to an expandable network that starts with the speed that was being launched today", said Gorgonio.

On March 19th, the first link of Ipê network at 200 Gbps started operating, linking Recife, Pernambuco, to Campina Grande, Paraíba. The delivery of this circuit is part of the agreement signed between RNP and Companhia Hidro Elétrica do São Francisco (Chesf). The agreement will last 20 years and receives investments from the Northeast Connected Program of the Ministry of Education to link high-speed federal education and research institutions to the academic network in the capitals and countryside of the Northeast.

Source: MEC, with information from RNP.

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