WANRack™ Announcing Commitment to Broadband Benefit Agreement for Richmond Community and Social Service Providers
Lenexa, KS (December 14, 2020) – WANRack, a provider of private fiber-optic Wide-Area Networks (WANs) announced its commitment to pursue a Broadband Benefit Agreement (BBA) in conjunction with its contract to build a dedicated fiber optic network for Richmond Public Schools (RPS) which it won in July 2020. Through this effort, WANRack seeks to partner with anchor institutions and social service providers across Richmond to provide free, dedicated 3d fiber optic connections to community-based institutions that serve Richmonders most in need.
“WANRack hopes that this Broadband Benefit Agreement can help to bridge the longstanding “digital divide” in Richmond and support community wealth-building efforts across the City,” said Rob Oyler, WANRack CEO.
Since winning the contract to build a dedicated high-speed fiber network for RPS using federal E-rate funds, WANRack has been meeting with a diverse group of community stakeholders to understand how the RPS build-out - which under E-rate program rules is restricted to schools and libraries - could serve as the platform to provide best in class broadband to those currently struggling with sub-standard connectivity.
"WANRack’s commitment to a Broadband Benefit Agreement will help us achieve our goals of providing reading support services to middle and high school students in Richmond’s low-income communities,” said Micah White, community activist and Founder of Reading Pays, an East End Richmond focused reading camp program. “Among the greatest obstacles to implementing our program in a Covid environment is the lack of meaningful high-speed broadband connections to connect program participants to the supports they need,” said White.
By implementing a network design for RPS that will maximize opportunities for additional anchor institutions and social service agencies to access best-in-class virtually unlimited bandwidth, WANRack is seeking to work with a range of partners across sectors to help Richmond confront its equity challenges.
WANRack’s commitment to a Broadband Benefit Agreement demonstrates the vital role the private sector can play in helping overcome longstanding inequities in our City,” said Richmond City Councilman Andreas Addison. “By committing to build free, 3d fiber optic connections to community and social service facilities in proximity to RPS buildings, WANRack is helping to jumpstart our tech equity efforts at no cost to Richmond taxpayers.”
WANRack entered the Virginia education market in 2018 and is currently operating in 24 states. The company’s robust fiber-optic networks traverse the nation, from Florida to Washington state, and Arizona to Connecticut. The WANRack executive management team has delivered fiber optic WANs to more than 200 school districts since 2005.
About WANRack
WANRack provides high-bandwidth, fiber-based communications networks and related services to customers throughout the continental United States. Service offerings include E-Rate-compliant lit fiber, dark fiber, and special construction solutions. Headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas, the company provides point-to-point fiber networks, which eliminate countless points of failure found in traditional legacy networks. To learn more about WANRack, visit www.wanrack.com.
For more information, call Dafna Tapiero at (202) 776-7776 or email grain@laurelstrategies.com.
