The network will ensure exchange of updated information among member-states, IP community and WIPO. WIPONET will have primarily two types of services in phase-I -- basic and IP-related. Basic services relate to providing dedicated internet connectivity to IP offices, with secure end-to-end services in 171 member-states.

National IP offices will be connected via a dedicated higher bandwidth backbone between the International Bureau of WIPO and 10 technically appropriate locations. National IP offices will have minimum 32 kbps or higher bandwidth.

WIPONET will also have extension to Trilateral (US Patents and Trademark Office, Japanese and European Patent Offices) frame relay and secure virtual private network (TSVPN) forexchange of priority documents between IB and Trilateral in a secured manner. TSVPN provides the facility for creating single exchange file for multifile documents, data integrity and originator authentication is ensured via digital signature and digital envelope to maintain data confidentiality.

The basic services on WIPONET will be available for e-mail, public Web access, Web hosting and publishing, file transfer facility, remote participation in WIPO meetings, confidential data exchange and electronic mailing lists. A 24-hour helpdesk will be available with support provided in six languages.

The IP-related services will include access to intellectual property digital libraries (IPDLs), access to PCT services, distance-learning, WIPO Worldwide Academy and an arbitration centre. WIPONET deliverables for IP offices will have six Windows-NT workstations (with DVD drives), MS Office, e-mail browsers, anti-virus back-up, a printer, scanner, security hardware and software and a PC video camera.

WIPONET willbe a direct provider of the minimum level of hardware equipment and services to ensure connectivity to internet. It will be a facilitator for providing details on technologies and related standards. It will also define minimum modernisation standards and provide an implementable mechanism through National Focused Action Plans and future WIPONET support services.

The bids for implementing WIPONET have already been received by the International Bureau of WIPO and are likely to be finalised by September.According to RA Mashelkar, secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the objective of WIPONET is to derive the practical benefits from the project, especially for developing countries, so that the gap between the developing and the developed countries can be reduced substantially.