Unite Private Networks to provide fiber-optic WANs to Illinois schools

Unite Private Networks (UPN) will provide data services over a fiber-optic wide area network (WAN) for five new school districts in Illinois: Darien, Antioch, and River Forest Schools in the Chicago area, and Canton Union and Galesburg near Peoria, Ill.

The five districts each signed a long-term agreement, whereby UPN will greatly enhance its existing Illinois network.

“We are excited about the long-term solution and partnership UPN is providing,” says Guy Cahill, assistant superintendent for finance and operations, for Galesburg Schools. “The UPN WAN is a key and first component in the District’s larger 20-Year Master Facility Plan. Their unique value proposition allowed the school district to develop a long-term plan for the whole district.”

“Due to shrinking budgets, Illinois School Districts are forced to do more with less. That has inspired new creative technology initiatives providing cost savings and operational efficiencies and of course, that means more data across networks,” explains Judy Gallagher-Cosgrove, vice president business development for UPN. “It is exciting to know that we provide the foundation to their solution.”

“With more cloud computing, VoIP, and security systems eating up valuable bandwidth, we are looking forward to having UPN as our long-term solution. The proposed fiber network will give Canton Union District #55 enough bandwidth for years to come,” says Don Howell, technology director.

“Our expansion into the Illinois market continues to pay dividends with many districts demanding dedicated WANs instead of the typical Cable or ILEC options,” notes Rob Oyler, chief marketing officer at UPN.

UPN provides high-bandwidth, fiber-based communications networks to schools, government, carriers, data centers, hospitals, and enterprise business customers.

June 25, 2011

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