Trillion Completes Southwest/West Central Service Cooperatives High-Speed Wireless Wide Area Network
17,000 Students in 31 School Districts to Benefit from New Web based Learning Resources
Austin, TX and Marshall, MN – March 28, 2007 – Trillion and Southwest/ West Central Service Cooperatives (SW/WC), today announced the completion of a new high-speed regional wide area network for 31 school districts in Southwestern Minnesota. The new network delivers reliable, high-speed wireless connectivity to web based educational resources and tools for 17,000 plus students, educators and administrators.
Trillion began construction of the 6,976 square mile Southwest Minnesota region network in September 2006, completing it in February 2007. The IT Department at SW/WC is now assessing new technologies and educational applications that require a high speed network to operate effectively. In addition to educational advancements the new network enables SW/WC to realize significant time and money savings through the use of centralized storage and utilization of shared technologies.
SW/WC can also now offer Internet2 to member schools due to the new high speed network. Internet2 is a high-bandwidth version of traditional Internet only available to schools, universities and government research facilities. The additional bandwidth and network speed enables students to participate in new types of learning including virtual fieldtrips and connectivity to advanced educational resources like the University of Minnesota. For example educators and students can now view and interact with a surgical team performing open heart surgery, as well as accessing a wealth of other educational resources.
“The Service Cooperative is excited to offer reliable connectivity to cutting edge web based educational resources to its member districts,” said Josh Sumption, Manager of Information Technology for the Southwest/West Central Service Cooperatives. “This Trillion network enables member schools to further develop their curriculum and tailor specific programs to meet student needs and No Child Left Behind requirements. It is anticipated that these resources will enable our students to be more competitive as they apply to universities.”
Trillion will continue to partner with SW/WC maintaining the network
throughout the life of the five year contract. Trillion monitors the network around the clock from its Network Operations Center (NOC) located in Austin, Texas. Additionally, a full-time technician resides in the area to perform maintenance and on-site repair should any issue arise.
“Trillion is committed to helping educators significantly improve student success,” said Bear Poth, president and CEO at Trillion Partners. “This network brings multiple benefits to the 31 school districts; improving services and reducing costs to each district in the region. Other similar large regional networks of this nature have resulted in enhanced student interest in learning, provided educators greater access to educational tools and resources and administrators with greater efficiency. We look forward to an ongoing relationship with SW/WC Service Cooperatives and becoming a part of the fabric of the community.”
About Southwest/West Central Service Cooperatives
The Southwest/West Central Service Cooperatives works together in the spirit of cooperation and collaboration to provide programs and services to school districts, non-profit organizations, cities, counties, and other governmental agencies. With over 60 school district members, the Service Cooperatives uses it's purchasing powers to deliver cutting-edge technologies and services to school districts that normally would not be able to have access to them.
The IT Department at the Southwest/West Central Service Cooperatives falls within the Center of Excellence in Administrative Services. It is the responsibility of the SW/WC IT department to research and develop innovative methods of utilizing technology in all aspects of school districts throughout Southwest and West Central Minnesota. The IT department is also responsible for administrating the Distance Education Systems, commonly known as ITV, throughout Southwest Minnesota to our Wide Area Network participants or call (507) 537-2240.
About Trillion
Trillion, headquartered in Austin, Texas, is the leading provider of broadband network services for education. Trillion specializes in delivering Priority One E-Rate eligible WAN services including design, installation, operation, and management of wide area network systems using state-of-the-art wireless and fiber technologies. Trillion services simplify the complexities of data, voice and video convergence, while providing network security and protection. Trillion is a privately held company. Investors in Trillion include Hexagon Investments, the Intel Communications Fund and Meritage Private Equity Funds. For more information, visit www.trillion.net or call (512) 334-4100.
