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ECU Network Boost to Benefit All of Eastern North Carolina
A 10gig upgrade to network services at East Carolina University boosts high-speed broadband capacity in region
GREENVILLE, N.C., Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- MCNC, the private, not-for-profit operator of the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), today announced that East Carolina University has received a 10gig upgrade to network services and now serves as the main network hub for most community anchor institutions in North Carolina east of I-95.
The upgrade was completed through the Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative, a $144 million expansion of NCREN, which serves the Intranet and Internet network needs of more than 350 of the state's leading community anchor institutions including all K-12 public schools, community colleges, UNC System institutions, libraries, select private colleges and universities, non-profit hospitals, public health and public safety institutions.
This historic project for North Carolina is funded through the federal Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) in addition to several private grants and investments including $24 million from the Golden LEAF Foundation and $8 million from the MCNC Endowment. The MCNC Endowment was created to support the long term capital and equipment needs of NCREN.
ECU Director of IT Infrastructure Tom Lamb said the upgrade provides essential bandwidth and broadband capacity to service the school's online and distance learning programs, videoconferencing, economic development and other essential services. At the same time, he said, it serves as a high-speed gateway for innovation throughout all of North Carolina's coastal areas. ECU now serves as a main network hub for community anchor institutions in this region of the state.
"ECU continues to be a statewide leader in distance education programs, and these enhancements at ECU will benefit the school as well as the entire region," Lamb said. "Other universities, colleges, libraries, and government agencies throughout Eastern North Carolina will see a better exchange of information with each other and the rest of the world. In turn, other parts of the state will gain access to the valuable expertise and resources available at ECU and nearby."
MCNC, the non-profit operator of NCREN based in Research Triangle Park, announced the ECU upgrade as a component of phase one of the two-part GLRBI to enhance and expand broadband capacity in underserved areas of the state. MCNC is near completion of the first phase; phase two construction began in July. MCNC will use the new fiber from both phases of the project to expand the capacity of NCREN to serve as the backbone Intranet and Internet network for community institutions throughout North Carolina.
"Many rural areas in Eastern North Carolina have been left behind in the race to build out critical broadband infrastructure," said Tommy Jacobson, vice president of Network Initiatives for MCNC and project lead on the initiative. "The new upgrade will provide nearly unlimited capacity for this region through the ECU campus node."
All construction for both phases of the initiative must be finished by Jan. 31, 2013 to allow MCNC time to equip and place the fiber optic into service on or before July 31, 2013. As with the new ECU connection, when sections of the newly-constructed network are complete, they will be placed into service.
About East Carolina University
Created by the North Carolina General Assembly more than a century ago as a teacher-training school, East Carolina University today is the state's largest producer of education professionals, nurses and allied health professionals. It is also the state leader in distance education and is building a new dental school that is scheduled to open in August.
About MCNC
MCNC is an independent, non-profit organization that employs advanced Internet networking technologies and systems to continuously improve learning and collaboration throughout North Carolina's K-20 education community. MCNC provides advanced communications technologies and support services that enable access to 21st century learning applications and offers the opportunity to improve teaching, learning, research, and collaboration among North Carolina's education community. For a more than a quarter century MCNC has operated a robust, secure, exclusive communications network that has connected the institutions of the University of North Carolina System, Duke University and Wake Forest University to each other and through advanced research networks such as Internet2 and National Lambda Rail, to the world. Visit http://www.mcnc.org.
About NCREN Community
NCREN, operated by the non-profit organization MCNC, is one of the nation's first statewide education and research networks. It provides broadband communications technology services and support to K-12 school districts, higher education campuses and academic research institutions across North Carolina. MCNC offers NCREN technology tools and services to guarantee equal access to 21st century learning by providing a future-proof technology network that is the foundation for change and innovation in our educational systems. In addition to all public school districts in North Carolina, the NCREN user-community now includes: 17 institutions of the UNC System and General Administration; 19 North Carolina Charter Schools, 27 of the 36 North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities; 58 North Carolina Community Colleges; research institutions and foundations; and, along with the N.C. Office of Information Technology Services and other partners, MCNC will provide broadband services for the Public Health and Non-Profit Hospitals Phases of the N.C. Telehealth Network in 2011 and beyond.
About The Golden LEAF Foundation
The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to help transform North Carolina's economy. The foundation receives one-half of North Carolina's funds from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers and places special emphasis on assisting tobacco-dependent, economically distressed and/or rural communities across the state. The Golden LEAF Foundation works in partnership with governmental entities, educational institutions, economic development organizations and nonprofits to achieve its mission. The foundation has awarded 1,129 grants worth over $517 million since its inception. To learn more about applying for a grant, visit http://www.goldenleaf.org or call (888) 684.8404.
About Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative
MCNC currently is working on a $144 million expansion of the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN) scheduled to be completed by 2013. This initiative has been labeled the Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative.
To fund this expansion, MCNC applied for and received two U.S. Department of Commerce Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) awards totaling $104 million. In addition, MCNC raised $40 million in private matching funds as required by the BTOP program. MCNC's sources of matching funds included $24 million from the Golden LEAF Foundation, $8 million from the MCNC Endowment, $4 million from private-sector wholesale telecommunications company FRC, and an estimated $4 million through donations of land and existing conduit from individual community colleges, universities, and others including the Albemarle Pamlico Economic Development Corporation. No direct funding from the State of North Carolina was required. MCNC estimates the expansion of NCREN will create or save 2,500 engineering, construction, and manufacturing jobs in the state.
Both MCNC awards are -part of a coordinated strategy developed by the Office of North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue, the N.C. Office of Economic Recovery & Investment, and e-NC Authority to improve broadband access for businesses and residents in underserved areas. Once all work is complete, the two rounds of BTOP infrastructure have the potential to serve directly, or through MCNC partnerships with private-sector service providers, more than 1,500 community anchor institutions, 180,000 businesses, and reach more than 300,000 underserved families.
MCNC/BTOP Central Webspace
For more information regarding all of MCNC's BTOP activities, visit MCNC's BTOP Central Web Space online.
You also can follow the progress of the GLRBI at http://www.twitter.com/GLRBI or http://www.facebook.com/GLRBI.
Questions? Please see our FAQ section regarding Round 2 construction questions, or contact us for more details.
Keywords and Tags
ECU, Eastern NC, East Carolina University, pirates, MCNC, NCREN, BTOP, ARRA, NTIA, Golden LEAF, GLRBI, distance learning, community anchor institutions, North Carolina, NC, rural broadband, RTP, Research Triangle Park, education, telehealth, telecom, broadband, Internet, web, bandwidth, news
Twitter Hashtags: #GLRBI #ECU #BTOP #broadband
SOURCE MCNC
MCNC
CONTACT: MCNC Communications Hotline, +1-919-248-4105; or Noah Garrett of NGC Communications for MCNC, +1-252-423-1277, press@mcnc.org; or ECU Media Contact: Mary Schulken, Director of Public Affairs, +1-252-328-6482
Web Site: http://www.mcnc.org
ECU Network Boost to Benefit All of Eastern North Carolina
A 10gig upgrade to network services at East Carolina University boosts high-speed broadband capacity in region
GREENVILLE, N.C., Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- MCNC, the private, not-for-profit operator of the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), today announced that East Carolina University has received a 10gig upgrade to network services and now serves as the main network hub for most community anchor institutions in North Carolina east of I-95.
The upgrade was completed through the Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative, a $144 million expansion of NCREN, which serves the Intranet and Internet network needs of more than 350 of the state's leading community anchor institutions including all K-12 public schools, community colleges, UNC System institutions, libraries, select private colleges and universities, non-profit hospitals, public health and public safety institutions.
This historic project for North Carolina is funded through the federal Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) in addition to several private grants and investments including $24 million from the Golden LEAF Foundation and $8 million from the MCNC Endowment. The MCNC Endowment was created to support the long term capital and equipment needs of NCREN.
ECU Director of IT Infrastructure Tom Lamb said the upgrade provides essential bandwidth and broadband capacity to service the school's online and distance learning programs, videoconferencing, economic development and other essential services. At the same time, he said, it serves as a high-speed gateway for innovation throughout all of North Carolina's coastal areas. ECU now serves as a main network hub for community anchor institutions in this region of the state.
"ECU continues to be a statewide leader in distance education programs, and these enhancements at ECU will benefit the school as well as the entire region," Lamb said. "Other universities, colleges, libraries, and government agencies throughout Eastern North Carolina will see a better exchange of information with each other and the rest of the world. In turn, other parts of the state will gain access to the valuable expertise and resources available at ECU and nearby."
MCNC, the non-profit operator of NCREN based in Research Triangle Park, announced the ECU upgrade as a component of phase one of the two-part GLRBI to enhance and expand broadband capacity in underserved areas of the state. MCNC is near completion of the first phase; phase two construction began in July. MCNC will use the new fiber from both phases of the project to expand the capacity of NCREN to serve as the backbone Intranet and Internet network for community institutions throughout North Carolina.
"Many rural areas in Eastern North Carolina have been left behind in the race to build out critical broadband infrastructure," said Tommy Jacobson, vice president of Network Initiatives for MCNC and project lead on the initiative. "The new upgrade will provide nearly unlimited capacity for this region through the ECU campus node."
All construction for both phases of the initiative must be finished by Jan. 31, 2013 to allow MCNC time to equip and place the fiber optic into service on or before July 31, 2013. As with the new ECU connection, when sections of the newly-constructed network are complete, they will be placed into service.
About East Carolina University
Created by the North Carolina General Assembly more than a century ago as a teacher-training school, East Carolina University today is the state's largest producer of education professionals, nurses and allied health professionals. It is also the state leader in distance education and is building a new dental school that is scheduled to open in August.
About MCNC
MCNC is an independent, non-profit organization that employs advanced Internet networking technologies and systems to continuously improve learning and collaboration throughout North Carolina's K-20 education community. MCNC provides advanced communications technologies and support services that enable access to 21st century learning applications and offers the opportunity to improve teaching, learning, research, and collaboration among North Carolina's education community. For a more than a quarter century MCNC has operated a robust, secure, exclusive communications network that has connected the institutions of the University of North Carolina System, Duke University and Wake Forest University to each other and through advanced research networks such as Internet2 and National Lambda Rail, to the world. Visit http://www.mcnc.org.
About NCREN Community
NCREN, operated by the non-profit organization MCNC, is one of the nation's first statewide education and research networks. It provides broadband communications technology services and support to K-12 school districts, higher education campuses and academic research institutions across North Carolina. MCNC offers NCREN technology tools and services to guarantee equal access to 21st century learning by providing a future-proof technology network that is the foundation for change and innovation in our educational systems. In addition to all public school districts in North Carolina, the NCREN user-community now includes: 17 institutions of the UNC System and General Administration; 19 North Carolina Charter Schools, 27 of the 36 North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities; 58 North Carolina Community Colleges; research institutions and foundations; and, along with the N.C. Office of Information Technology Services and other partners, MCNC will provide broadband services for the Public Health and Non-Profit Hospitals Phases of the N.C. Telehealth Network in 2011 and beyond.
About The Golden LEAF Foundation
The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to help transform North Carolina's economy. The foundation receives one-half of North Carolina's funds from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers and places special emphasis on assisting tobacco-dependent, economically distressed and/or rural communities across the state. The Golden LEAF Foundation works in partnership with governmental entities, educational institutions, economic development organizations and nonprofits to achieve its mission. The foundation has awarded 1,129 grants worth over $517 million since its inception. To learn more about applying for a grant, visit http://www.goldenleaf.org or call (888) 684.8404.
About Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative
MCNC currently is working on a $144 million expansion of the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN) scheduled to be completed by 2013. This initiative has been labeled the Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative.
To fund this expansion, MCNC applied for and received two U.S. Department of Commerce Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) awards totaling $104 million. In addition, MCNC raised $40 million in private matching funds as required by the BTOP program. MCNC's sources of matching funds included $24 million from the Golden LEAF Foundation, $8 million from the MCNC Endowment, $4 million from private-sector wholesale telecommunications company FRC, and an estimated $4 million through donations of land and existing conduit from individual community colleges, universities, and others including the Albemarle Pamlico Economic Development Corporation. No direct funding from the State of North Carolina was required. MCNC estimates the expansion of NCREN will create or save 2,500 engineering, construction, and manufacturing jobs in the state.
Both MCNC awards are -part of a coordinated strategy developed by the Office of North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue, the N.C. Office of Economic Recovery & Investment, and e-NC Authority to improve broadband access for businesses and residents in underserved areas. Once all work is complete, the two rounds of BTOP infrastructure have the potential to serve directly, or through MCNC partnerships with private-sector service providers, more than 1,500 community anchor institutions, 180,000 businesses, and reach more than 300,000 underserved families.
MCNC/BTOP Central Webspace
For more information regarding all of MCNC's BTOP activities, visit MCNC's BTOP Central Web Space online.
You also can follow the progress of the GLRBI at http://www.twitter.com/GLRBI or http://www.facebook.com/GLRBI.
Questions? Please see our FAQ section regarding Round 2 construction questions, or contact us for more details.
Keywords and Tags
ECU, Eastern NC, East Carolina University, pirates, MCNC, NCREN, BTOP, ARRA, NTIA, Golden LEAF, GLRBI, distance learning, community anchor institutions, North Carolina, NC, rural broadband, RTP, Research Triangle Park, education, telehealth, telecom, broadband, Internet, web, bandwidth, news
Twitter Hashtags: #GLRBI #ECU #BTOP #broadband
SOURCE MCNC
MCNC
CONTACT: MCNC Communications Hotline, +1-919-248-4105; or Noah Garrett of NGC Communications for MCNC, +1-252-423-1277, press@mcnc.org; or ECU Media Contact: Mary Schulken, Director of Public Affairs, +1-252-328-6482
Web Site: http://www.mcnc.org