WANRack™ Commits to Closing the Digital Divide
Over the past eight years, WANRack has worked with schools and communities to close the digital divide and ensure students have access to digital learning in every classroom, every day. They have constructed new fiber to 21 school districts, the third-most from any provider nationwide. That amounts to 284 miles of fiber built across 13 states.
With the increasing use of technology as a tool for learning, students and teachers need more than basic connectivity. They need scalable connections that can support the FCC’s goal of 1Mbps per student so that the Internet is never a barrier to learning the skills they need to thrive in our modern economy.
With that in mind, WANRack announced their continued commitment to unlocking digital learning opportunities across the country. WANRack will continue to partner with schools to find sustainable solutions that support students and teachers.
“Having access to speeds of 1 Megabit per second (1Mbps) per student is changing the game for students across the country — especially those in rural areas. With this level of connectivity, students can utilize distance learning and other bandwidth-intensive apps that prepare them for 21st-century jobs,” said Rob Oyler, CEO and Founder of WANRack. “We are incredibly proud to provide access that opens up new opportunities for students.”
WANRack recently delivered on a complex project that utilized federal E-rate and state matching funds in rural Elko County, Nevada. Elko County Schools’ newly built Wide Area Network (WAN) was upgraded to speeds hundreds of times faster than the copper connections they had previously. “The Elko County network build was a complex project with many unique permitting challenges,” said Oyler. “The network crossed federal properties, mining operations, large swaths of private land, interstates, county roads, waterways, and protected wildlife areas.” Despite these challenges, the project finished on budget and, crucial to the school district, within the E-rate deadline. Elko students now enjoy a future-proofed, robust network as a result.
A focus on the technology needs of modern schools and a commitment to collaboration will close help us continue to close the digital divide.
To learn more about the state of broadband connectivity in our nation’s schools and how to prepare for the future, read the 2019 State of the States report.
Complete article featured on EducationSuperHighway.org
