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Why Build a Regional Network?

  • Create a reliable and resilient, carrier-class fiber infrastructure for all districts in Region 10 
  • A cost effective, future-proof, and scalable network capable of long-term growth - bandwidth is no longer an issue
  • Increased bandwidth provides the ESC and individual districts the opportunity to provide additional services directly to other districts over the consortium’s private circuits
  • Consortium buying power to layer optional services such as DDOS, firewall, web filtering, VoIP, etc - What else can we do?
  • Provide high-speed buildout to rural areas - all districts have equitable access
  • Provides opportunity for districts to partner with the ESC or other districts to share additional services directly over the consortium’s private circuits

Why Build Now?

Building a dedicated fiber network is expensive, however…

  • Texas State Matching funds from Classroom Connectivity Initiative
    • $25 million state match - 10% of fiber construction costs (available for FY 18)
    • E-rate Program chips in another 10% to equal the state match (available for FY 18)
    • Consortium E-rate discount is 71%
    • Consortium only pays 9% of fiber buildout costs
  • Allows most cost effective creation of the network for Region 10 districts and charters 

Why the consortium model?

  • Cost effective - leverage size of consortium to drive down costs
    • Buying from Costco instead of a convenience store
  • Additional capabilities not generally available to individual district or charter
    • Active DDOS Mitigation
    • Direct connections to Amazon, Microsoft, Google, State testing providers and other statewide education networks 
  • This is YOUR network - dedicated fiber - not shared
  • Reliable and resilient carrier class optical network with 10 Gig connections to each district
  • Cost savings per MB to ISD’s
  • Opens doors to future initiatives: wireless networks where students have Internet Access from home
  • Single Support point
  • Region 10, as the fiscal agent, takes care of all E-Rate responsibilities related to your network circuit

Contacts